<<audio ":all" stop>><<set $main_menu is false>><<set $death=0>> <<set $visited to false>><<set $visited1 to false>><<set $visited2 to false>><<set $visited3 to false>><<set $visited4 to false>><<set $visited5 to false>><<set $visited6 to false>><<set $visited7 to false>><<set $visited8 to false>><<set $visited9 to false>><<set $visited10 to false>><<set $visited11 to false>><<set $visited12 to false>><<set $visited13 to false>><<set $visited14 to false>><<set $visited15 to false>><<set $visited16 to false>><<set $visited17 to false>><<set $visited18 to false>><<set $visited19 to false>><<set $visited20 to false>><<set $revealbuttons to false>> <<set $psycho_power =100>><<set $attack_power_h = 10>><<set $defense_power_h=10>><<set $luck_h=4>><<set $experience_h=10>><<set $attack_power_d=3>><<set $defense_power_d=10>><<set $luck_d=4>><<set $experience_d=10>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<set $mama_just_killed_a_man to false>><<set $we_dont_kill_people to false>>
<<set $chance_encounter_biwaboushi to false>><<set $mud_man to false>><<set $enlightened to false>><<set $alone to false>><<set $haste to false>><<set $ape to false>><<set $tricked to false>><<set $foster to false>><<set $demon_sword to false>><<set $poisoned to false>><<set $brute to false>><<set $maimaionba to false>><<set $persuasive to false>><<set $together to false>><<set $hostage to false>><<set $bandai to false>><<set $freak to false>><<set $family to false>><<set $perfect to false>><<set $insane to false>>
<img src="Images/001 Dororo Cover Simple.png">
This book is based on Osamu Tezuka's full-length manga, //Dororo//. The world of the original work has been recreated in the form of this game book. The main characters, Dororo and Hyakkimaru, and the demons and monsters from the manga are all the same. We hope you enjoy revisiting familiar characters and places while making choices that alter the story based on your preferences.
This book is a game, so there are some rules. Please review them before jumping into the adventure.
<center><<button[[Review the rules.->Rules]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Start my adventure!->Prologue]]>><</button>>
<<if $test is true>><<button[[Credits]]>><</button>><<else>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><h1>Rules</h1>
How to play: Start reading the story from the prologue. Proceed to the numbered scene indicated at the end of each passage. If there are instructions for selecting a destination in each scene, follow those instructions. For example, there might be instructions to ''Check A'' at the end of a scene. You would select ''A'' on your Adventure Card.
Your Adventure Card provides a way of keeping track of all the different story routes present in this game book. It also provides a way of keeping track of different point values for Dororo or Hyakkimaru. Characters who gain points through their actions get special or upgraded abilities.
You can view your Adventure Card at any time by clicking the link in the sidebar menu. See the <b>Navigation</b> section below for details on accessing the sidebar menu.
<h2> Character Abilities </h2>
''Psychokinetic Power'' - An ability that only Hyakkimaru possesses. It is a supernatural power that he gains at birth in exchange for the forty-eight parts of his body that were stolen by demons. As Hyakkimaru regains his physical body, his psychokinetic power decreases. If you are instructed to increase or decrease these numbers, make a note of the new numbers on your Adventure Card.
''Attack Power ''- Hyakkimaru and Dororo's attack ability. This may change depending on the weapon they wield.
''Defensive Power'' - The ability to prevent an opponent's attacks. This can be done in a variety of ways, from simply dodging to divining an enemy's future actions through magic. Changes based on fatigue and injury.
''Luck'' - Indicates the situation that the main characters find themselves in during battle. It can always change.
''Experience Points'' - Indicates the abilities that improve as the protagonists change and grow.
The basic numbers for Hyakkimaru and Dororo at the start of the game are as follows:
<center>
<table><thead>
<tr>
<th>Hyakkimaru</th>
<th> </th>
<th>Dororo</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Psychokinetic Power: 100<br>Attack Power: 10 <br>Defense Power: 10 <br>Luck: 4 <br>Experience Points: 10</td>
<td></td>
<td>Attack Power: 3 <br>Defense Power: 10 <br>Luck: 4 <br>Experience Points: 10</td> </tr></tbody></table>
</center>
<h2> Battle </h2>
There are rules for battle. When choosing to engage in combat, follow this formula to determine the battle's outcome.
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power) + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power
Multiply Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power and Defensive Power by their combined Luck and a random number from 1 to 6. Then, add the experience points for both characters and Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power value. This number determines the outcome of the battle.
When fighting with only one character, only one character's numbers should be included in the calculations. If you have no six-sided die on hand, there are numbers included at the top of each battle scene that can be used instead.
Thanks to the magic of machine algorithms, all battle calculations will run automatically within the game. No manual math required!
<center><h3>Navigation </h3></center>
This book is a game, and has game features like saving and loading. You can also earn achievements based on your actions in the game.
To access these features, select the arrow at the top left of the screen.
<img src="Images/Nav1.png">
This reveals the menu. From here, you can save your game, load an existing game, view your achievements, view your Adventure Card, start a new game, and more.
Restarting a game from this menu resets all Achievements and the Adventure Card to their default states. You can collect all the Achievements and fill in the Adventure Card completely on a single playthrough by reaching each ending and starting a new adventure from those endings. Remember to save often!
<b>Important Note</b>: For online players, use the <b>Save to Disk</b> option. Saving locally in the browser will work, but if your browser updates or is cleaned, all of your progress will be lost. If this happens, you can load your save from your hard drive and keep playing without trouble.
<img src="Images/Nav2.png">
Use the Settings to configure the game. You can select Light or Dark Mode, change the font, and choose whether or not to play music and sound effects.
<img src="Images/Nav3.png">
You can use the arrows in the top middle of the sidebar to go backward and forward in the novel.
<img src="Images/Nav4.png">
To close the sidebar menu, select the arrow again.
<img src="Images/Nav5.png">
You're ready to begin your adventure! Good luck!
Adventure Novels Editorial Department
<center><<button[[See my Adventure Card.->Adventure Card Explain]]>><</button>>
<<button[[See a mock battle.]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio thunderstorm play>>The sound of heavy rainfall echoed around a wayside shrine. The shrine was dark. Lightning split the darkness, revealing the figure of a teenage boy kneeling on the floor. His hair was long and uncut; his clothing, torn and frayed. The sword set next to him in its scabbard revealed that the boy was a young, well-traveled warrior. Both his eyes were open, but there was no light in them. He sat as still and emotionless as a corpse.
<img src="Images/Hyakkimaru.png">
The boy could not hear the thunder that followed the lightning or the pounding of the rain on the shrine's roof. He saw nothing, not even when the storm illuminated his surroundings. Still, he knew that there was a storm outside. He could feel it within himself. All his knowledge of the world came from feelings within himself.
He felt a sudden presence, ethereal and unreal.
"Who's there?" the boy asked.
The boy stood up, flinging the prosthetic covering his right arm off and revealing a sword. More lightning made the sword's blade shine.
An eerie voice called out of the darkness, speaking directly into the boy's mind. "Hyakkimaru... Hyakkimaru..."
The boy searched the darkness. "You're a demon, aren't you? One of those monsters who follows me around?"
"I am not," the voice replied. "Listen to my words."
The boy remained silent.
"You will encounter forty-eight demons."
"Why forty-eight?"
"You must defeat them, Hyakkimaru. If you do, the missing forty-eight pieces of your body will return to you."
"...You mean I would shed my artificial body and gain a human one?"
"Perhaps. Only if you win, of course."
"Where are the forty-eight demons?"
"You will see one presently."
"Who are you? How do you know so much about me?"
A tinny, echoing laugh was the only reply. The sound faded, leaving only the sounds of the storm.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 1: Hyakkimaru Walks Across a Battlefield]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to false>>
<<if $test is true>>[[Credits]]<</if>>
<<if $test is true>>[[Check paths->Scene 137]]<</if>>
<<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<set $newgame to false>> <<audio ":all" stop>>This is your Adventure Card. As you explore all the different routes through the story, the values here will automatically update.
<center><<audio ":all" stop>>
<img src="Images/Adventure-Card-Banner.png">
<table><thead></thead> <tr><th>//Hyakkimaru//</th><th> </th><th>//Dororo//</th></tr><tbody><tr><td>Psychokinetic Power: $psycho_power <br>Attack Power: $attack_power_h <br>Defensive Power: $defense_power_h <br>Luck: $luck_d <br>Experience Points: $experience_h</td><td></td><td>Attack Power: $attack_power_d <br>Defense Power: $defense_power_d <br>Luck: $luck_d <br>Experience Points: $experience_d</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tr><td>$A</td><td>$B</td><td>$C</td> <td>$D</td> <td>$E</td> <td>$F</td><td>$G</td><td>$H</td><td>$I</td><td>$J</td> <td>$K</td><td>$L</td><td>$M</td><td>$N</td><td>$O</td><td>$P</td><td>$Q</td><td>$R</td><td>$S</td><td>$T</td><td>$U</td><td>$V</td><td>$W</td><td>$X</td><td>$Y</td><td>$Z</td></tr></table><<if $A is "a">>[A is checked!]<</if>> <<if $B is "b">>[B is checked!]<</if>> <<if $C is "c">>[C is checked!]<</if>><<if $D is "d">>[D is checked!]<</if>><<if $E is "e">>[E is checked!]<</if>><<if $F is "f">>[F is checked!]<</if>><<if $G is "g">>[G is checked!]<</if>><<if $H is "h">>[H is checked!]<</if>><<if $I is "i">>[I is checked!]<</if>><<if $J is "j">>[J is checked!]<</if>><<if $K is "k">>[K is checked!]<</if>><<if $L is "l">>[L is checked!]<</if>><<if $M is "m">>[M is checked!]<</if>><<if $N is "n">>[N is checked!]<</if>><<if $O is "o">>[O is checked!]<</if>><<if $P is "p">>[P is checked!]<</if>><<if $Q is "q">>[Q is checked!]<</if>><<if $R is "r">>[R is checked!]<</if>><<if $S is "s">>[S is checked!]<</if>><<if $T is "t">>[T is checked!]<</if>><<if $U is "u">>[U is checked!]<</if>><<if $V is "v">>[V is checked!]<</if>><<if $W is "w">>[W is checked!]<</if>><<if $X is "x">>[X is checked!]<</if>><<if $Y is "y">>[Y is checked!]<</if>><<if $Z is "z">>[Z is checked!]<</if>></center>
As you check off letters A-Z, the letters on your Adventure Card will change from uppercase to lowercase. For example, B when checked will turn into b (lower case).
At critical story points, you will be given the option to review your Adventure Card.
<center><<button[[See the rules again. ->Rules]]>><</button>>
<<button[[See a mock battle.]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru are attacked by demons! Select <b>BATTLE</b> below to determine their combined fighting power. If they get more than 500 points, they win!
As a reminder, this is what the battle calculation looks like:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power) + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power
Because of the magic of online calculations, all battles will be automatically calculated for you. For real battles, you will have the option of using the number at the top of the passage in place of the random number.
<b>Choose to win</b> and <b>Choose to lose</b> are exactly what they sound like. These bypass combat and take the characters to the next scene. They are useful for exploring different story paths. Not every loss is a bad thing--some losses unlock endings that would be inaccessible otherwise.
If you want to take a risk between winning and losing. choose <b>BATTLE</b>. To choose to win or choose to lose the battle, select those buttons.
<center><<button[[BATTLE]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Choose to win.->BATTLE]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Choose to lose.->BATTLE2]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>
The misty evening smelled of blood. Warriors lay strewn in pieces across a battle-scarred meadow, every corpse shredded by spears and swords. The battlefield was nearly silent, save for the night calls of insects.
//How horrible//, Hyakkimaru thought. He often felt great pity for the unfortunate people he met.
Loud footsteps disturbed the grassy meadow behind Hyakkimaru.
"Hey, you!"
<center><<button[[Don't wait to be attacked. Strike first!->Scene 104]]>><</button>>
<<button[[You don't know these people. Walk on by.->Scene 33]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center>
<<if $battle > "100">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "100">><img src="Images/win.png"><<else>><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle < "100">>You Lose!<</if>><<if $battle < "100">><<audio fail play>><</if>></center>
<center>Wins and losses have different story consequences and lead to different paths.</center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the rules. ->Rules]]>><</button>>
<<button[[See my Adventure Card. ->Adventure Card Explain]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru heard armor rattling, not with his senses but with his psychokinesis. He knew that his pursuers were soldiers fleeing the battlefield.
"Hey, kid! Hand over all your money!"
"I don't have any money."
"Hmph. Fine. Then give us that fancy sword you're carrying instead."
Hyakkimaru removed the sword from his hip, still in its sheath, and threw it to the ground.
The moment one of the fallen warriors approached the fallen sword, Hyakkimaru's right arm suddenly rose in threat. The sword blade embedded in his right arm cut straight through the soldier's throat and came out the back of his neck.
''A'' is checked on your Adventure Card. <<set $A="a">>
<<if $mama_just_killed_a_man is false>><<set $brutal=$brutal+1>><<set $mama_just_killed_a_man to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-1.png"><<audio failfare play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Mama, Just Killed a Man<br> for murdering a soldier in cold blood.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 187]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>//These are probably soldiers fleeing the battlefield, // Hyakkimaru thought. //I shouldn't get involved.//
Hyakkimaru tried to walk away, but soldiers ran around him, encircling him so that he couldn't run.
"Hey, didn't you hear us calling you? Give us your money!" one of the soldiers said.
"I have none." Hyakkimaru tried to slip past the soldiers.
One of the soldiers noticed the sword hanging from Hyakkimaru's hip. His eyes lit up as he said, "Wait a minute, kid. I think we can make a deal."
<<if $we_dont_kill_people is false>><<set $we_dont_kill_people to true>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-2.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Pacifist<br> for attempting to reason with people who want to murder you.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 155]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru looked around at the soldiers in annoyance. "Why are you bothering me?"
The soldiers tightened their ring around him. "That sword looks valuable," one of the soldiers said. "Hand it over!"
Hyakkimaru chuckled. "You think the scabbard is worth something? It's empty. Just for show."
"You're kidding, kid."
The soldiers readied their swords and spears.
Hyakkimaru was bored. "Please don't come any closer. I'm not looking for any trouble."
"Shut up and give us the sword, brat."
"You really want it that bad, huh? Then I guess there's nothing for it." Hyakkimaru slowly lowered the sword at his hip to the ground, still in its sheath.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 112]]>><</button>> </center>
<center><<audio ":all" stop>>
<img src="Images/Adventure-Card-Banner.png">
<table><thead></thead> <tr><th>//Hyakkimaru//</th><th> </th><th>//Dororo//</th></tr><tbody><tr><td>Psychokinetic Power: $psycho_power <br>Attack Power: $attack_power_h <br>Defensive Power: $defense_power_h <br>Luck: $luck_d <br>Experience Points: $experience_h</td><td></td><td>Attack Power: $attack_power_d <br>Defense Power: $defense_power_d <br>Luck: $luck_d <br>Experience Points: $experience_d</td></tr></tbody></table>
<<if $newgame is false>><table><tr><td>$A</td><td>$B</td><td>$C</td> <td>$D</td> <td>$E</td> <td>$F</td><td>$G</td><td>$H</td><td>$I</td><td>$J</td> <td>$K</td><td>$L</td><td>$M</td><td>$N</td><td>$O</td><td>$P</td><td>$Q</td><td>$R</td><td>$S</td><td>$T</td><td>$U</td><td>$V</td><td>$W</td><td>$X</td><td>$Y</td><td>$Z</td></tr></table><<if $A is "a">>[A is checked!]<</if>> <<if $B is "b">>[B is checked!]<</if>> <<if $C is "c">>[C is checked!]<</if>><<if $D is "d">>[D is checked!]<</if>><<if $E is "e">>[E is checked!]<</if>><<if $F is "f">>[F is checked!]<</if>><<if $G is "g">>[G is checked!]<</if>><<if $H is "h">>[H is checked!]<</if>><<if $I is "i">>[I is checked!]<</if>><<if $J is "j">>[J is checked!]<</if>><<if $K is "k">>[K is checked!]<</if>><<if $L is "l">>[L is checked!]<</if>><<if $M is "m">>[M is checked!]<</if>><<if $N is "n">>[N is checked!]<</if>><<if $O is "o">>[O is checked!]<</if>><<if $P is "p">>[P is checked!]<</if>><<if $Q is "q">>[Q is checked!]<</if>><<if $R is "r">>[R is checked!]<</if>><<if $S is "s">>[S is checked!]<</if>><<if $T is "t">>[T is checked!]<</if>><<if $U is "u">>[U is checked!]<</if>><<if $V is "v">>[V is checked!]<</if>><<if $W is "w">>[W is checked!]<</if>><<if $X is "x">>[X is checked!]<</if>><<if $Y is "y">>[Y is checked!]<</if>><<if $Z is "z">>[Z is checked!]<</if>><</if>></center>
<center>
<<if $whole > 0 and $whole < 5>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent10.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages          </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones          </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras          </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>><<if $whole > 4 and $whole < 8>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent10.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>><<if $whole > 7 and $whole < 10>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent15.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>><<if $whole > 9 and $whole < 15>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent25.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>><<if $whole > 14 and $whole < 20>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent35.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>>
<<if $whole > 19 and $whole < 30>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent50.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>>
<<if $whole > 29 and $whole < 47>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent75.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>>
<<if $whole is 48>><<if $aware is true >><center><b>Body Awareness</b><br><br><img src="Images/BodyPartPercent100.png"><br>
<i>Body parts that are bolded have been recovered.</i><br>
<table><tbody><tr><td><i>Appendages     </i></td><td><i>Organs</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $right_leg is true>><b>Right Leg</b><<else>>Right Leg<</if>>
<<if $left_leg is true>><b>Left Leg</b><<else>>Left Leg<</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><b>Right Arm</b><<else>>Right Arm<</if>>
<<if $left_arm is true>><b>Left Arm</b><<else>>Left Arm<</if>>
<<if $right_eye is true>><b>Right Eye</b><<else>>Right Eye<</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><b>Left Eye</b><<else>>Left Eye<</if>>
<<if $nose is true>><b>Nose</b><<else>>Nose<</if>>
<<if $right_ear is true>><b>Right Ear</b><<else>>Right Ear<</if>>
<<if $left_ear is true>><b>Left Ear</b><<else>>Left Ear<</if>></td>
<td>
<<if $larynx is true>><b>Larynx</b><<else>>Larynx<</if>>
<<if $appendix is true>><b>Appendix</b><<else>>Appendix<</if>>
<<if $spleen is true>><b>Spleen</b><<else>>Spleen<</if>>
<<if $right_lung is true>><b>Right Lung</b><<else>>Right Lung<</if>>
<<if $left_lung is true>><b>Left Lung</b><<else>>Left Lung<</if>>
<<if $right_kidney is true>><b>Right Kidney</b><<else>>Right Kidney<</if>>
<<if $left_kidney is true>><b>Left Kidney</b><<else>>Left Kidney<</if>>
<<if $gallbladder is true>><b>Gallbladder</b><<else>>Gallbladder<</if>>
<<if $stomach is true>><b>Stomach</b><<else>>Stomach<</if>>
<<if $pituitary is true>><b>Pituitary</b><<else>>Pituitary<</if>>
<<if $tonsils is true>><b>Tonsils</b><<else>>Tonsils<</if>>
<<if $heart is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $esophagus is true>><b>Esophagus</b><<else>>Esophagus<</if>>
<<if $bladder is true>><b>Bladder</b><<else>>Bladder<</if>>
<<if $liver is true>><b>Liver</b><<else>>Liver<</if>>
<<if $pancreas is true>><b>Pancreas</b><<else>>Pancreas<</if>>
<<if $large_intestines is true>><b>Large Intestines</b><<else>>Large Intestines<</if>>
<<if $trachea is true>><b>Trachea</b><<else>>Trachea<</if>>
<<if $nails is true>><b>Nails</b><<else>>Nails<</if>>
<<if $small_intestine is true>><b>Small Intestines</b><<else>>Small Intestines<</if>>
<<if $diaphragm is true>><b>Diaphragm</b><<else>>Diaphragm<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><i>Bones     </i></td><td><i>Muscles</i></td></tr><tr>
<td>
<<if $marrow is true>><b>Marrow</b><<else>>Marrow<</if>>
<<if $teeth is true>><b>Teeth</b><<else>>Teeth<</if>>
<<if $taibone is true>><b>Tailbone</b><<else>>Tailbone<</if>>
<<if $lumbar_spine is true>><b>Lumbar Spine</b><<else>>Lumbar Spine<</if>>
<<if $right_ribs is true>><b>Right Ribs</b><<else>>Right Ribs<</if>>
<<if $left_ribs is true>><b>Left Ribs</b><<else>>Left Ribs<</if>>
</td><td><<if $abdominal_muscles is true>><b>Abdominal</b><<else>><</if>>
<<if $trapezius_muscles is true>><b>Trapezius</b><<else>>Trapezius<</if>>
<<if $pectoral_muscles is true>><b>Pectoral</b><<else>>Pectoral<</if>>
<<if $lateral_muscles is true>><b>Lateral</b><<else>>Lateral<</if>>
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><i>Chakras     </i></td><td><i>Other</i></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>
<<if $root_chakra is true>><b>Root</b><<else>>Root<</if>>
<<if $sacral_chakra is true>><b>Sacral</b><<else>>Sacral<</if>>
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is true>><b>Navel</b><<else>>Navel<</if>>
<<if $heart_chakra is true>><b>Heart</b><<else>>Heart<</if>>
<<if $throat_chakra is true>><b>Purification</b><<else>>Purification<</if>>
<<if $third_eye_chakra is true>><b>Third Eye</b><<else>>Third Eye<</if>>
<<if $crown_chakra is true>><b>Crown</b><<else>>Crown<</if>>
</td>
<td>
<<if $psychokinesis is true>><b>Psychokinesis</b<<else>>Psychokinesis<</if>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></center>
<</if>><</if>>
<center><<if $revealbuttons is true>><<return>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>
Story variables.
<<set $test to false>> Test mode. Unlocks paths that are gatekept by the Adventure Card.
<<set $map to true>>
<<set $passageheader to false>>
<<set $hurt to false>> Determines interactions in The Ruined Temple and Mount Kurama.
Locations
<<set $hall_of_hell to false>>
<<set $temple to false>>
<<set $eguri_valley to false>>
<<set $hibikimaru to false>>
<<set $daigofortress to false>>
<<set $kurama to false>>
<<set $templevisit1 to false>>
<<set $templevisit2 to false>>
<<set $templevisit3 to false>>
<<set $visitedJukai=0>>
<<set $KINDPATH to false>> Completion of the Kind path.
<<set $death=0>> Sets number of deaths.
<<set $visited to false>>
<<set $visited1 to false>>
<<set $visited2 to false>>
<<set $visited3 to false>>
<<set $visited4 to false>>
<<set $visited5 to false>>
<<set $visited6 to false>>
<<set $visited7 to false>>
<<set $visited8 to false>>
<<set $visited9 to false>>
<<set $visited10 to false>>
<<set $visited11 to false>>
<<set $visited12 to false>>
<<set $visited13 to false>>
<<set $visited14 to false>>
<<set $visited15 to false>>
<<set $visited16 to false>>
<<set $visited17 to false>>
<<set $visited18 to false>>
<<set $visited19 to false>>
<<set $visited20 to false>>
<<set $visited21 to false>>
<<set $visited22 to false>>
Mio's variables
<<set $miosacrifice to false>> Mio sacrifices her soul to save Hyakkimaru's life.
<<set $galatea_start to false>> Hyakkimaru agrees to make Mio a body to house her spirit.
<<set $galatea_progress=0>>
Party screen variables
<<set $party to false>> Shows the party screen in the main menu.
Allies at the start of New Game+
<<set $dororo_party to true>>
<<set $hyakki_party to true>>
<<set $midoro_party to false>>
<<set $nota_party to false>>
<<set $jukai_party to false>>
<<set $pirate_party to false>>
<<set $mio_party to false>>
<<set $ochika_party to false>>
<<set $taho_party to false>>
<<set $allies=0>>
<<if $dororo_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $nota_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $jukai_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $pirate_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $mio_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
<<if $ochika_party is true>><<set $allies=$allies+1>><</if>>
Endings gallery
$set endings_gallery to false>> Unlocking a brutal, kind or pragmatic ending unlocks this option.
<<set $revealbuttons to false>> Sets up the Return buttons for the Achievements and the Adventure Card.
Starting attributes
<<set $psycho_power =100>>
<<set $attack_power_h = 10>>
<<set $defense_power_h=10>>
<<set $luck_h=4>>
<<set $experience_h=10>>
<<set $attack_power_d=3>>
<<set $defense_power_d=10>>
<<set $luck_d=4>>
<<set $experience_d=10>>
Battle variations
<<set $battle = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * random(1,6) + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle1 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 1 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle2 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 2 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle3 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 3 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle4 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 4 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle5 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 5 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle6 = ($attack_power_h + $attack_power_d) + ($defense_power_h + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_h + $luck_d) * 6 + ($experience_h + $experience_d) + $psycho_power>>
Only Hyakkimaru fights.
<<set $battle7 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * random(1,6) + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle8 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 1 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle9 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 2 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle10 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 3 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle11 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 4 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle12 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 5 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
<<set $battle13 = ($attack_power_h + $defense_power_h) * ($luck_h) * 6 + ($experience_h) + $psycho_power>>
Only Dororo fights.
<<set $battle14 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * random(1,6) + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle15 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 1 + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle16 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 2 + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle17 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 3 + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle18 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 4 + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle19 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 5 + ($experience_d)>>
<<set $battle20 = ($attack_power_d + $defense_power_d) * ($luck_d) * 6 + ($experience_d)>>
Adventure Card Initialization
<<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
New Game+ Adventure Card Addon
<<set $wholepercentage=0>>
Appendages
<<set $right_leg to false>>
<<set $left_leg to false>>
<<set $right_arm to false>>
<<set $left_arm to false>>
<<set $right_eye to false>>
<<set $left_eye to false>>
<<set $nose to false>>
<<set $right_ear to false>>
<<set $left_ear to false>>
Organs
<<set $larynx to false>>
<<set $appendix to false>>
<<set $spleen to false>>
<<set $right_lung to false>>
<<set $left_lung to false>>
<<set $right_kidney to false>>
<<set $left_kidney to false>>
<<set $gallbladder to false>>
<<set $stomach to false>>
<<set $taibone to false>>
<<set $pituitary to false>>
<<set $tonsils to false>>
<<set $teeth to false>>
<<set $lumbar_spine to false>>
<<set $right_ribs to false>>
<<set $left_ribs to false>>
<<set $heart to false>>
<<set $esophagus to false>>
<<set $bladder to false>>
<<set $liver to false>>
<<set $pancreas to false>>
<<set $large_intestines to false>>
<<set $trachea to false>>
<<set $nails to false>>
<<set $marrow to false>>
<<set $small_intestine to false>>
<<set $diaphragm to false>>
Muscles
<<set $abdominal_muscles to false>>
<<set $trapezius_muscles to false>>
<<set $pectoral_muscles to false>>
<<set $lateral_muscles to false>>
Chakras
<<set $root_chakra to false>>
<<set $sacral_chakra to false>>
<<set $_solar_plexus_chakra to false>>
<<set $heart_chakra to false>>
<<set $throat_chakra to false>>
<<set $third_eye_chakra to false>>
<<set $crown_chakra to false>>
<<set $psychokinesis to false>>
Achievements
<<set $mama_just_killed_a_man to false>>
<<set $we_dont_kill_people to false>>
<<set $chance_encounter_biwaboushi to false>>
<<set $mud_man to false>>
<<set $enlightened to false>>
<<set $alone to false>>
<<set $haste to false>>
<<set $ape to false>>
<<set $tricked to false>>
<<set $foster to false>>
<<set $demon_sword to false>>
<<set $poisoned to false>>
<<set $brute to false>>
<<set $maimaionba to false>>
<<set $persuasive to false>>
<<set $together to false>>
<<set $hostage to false>>
<<set $bandai to false>>
<<set $freak to false>>
<<set $family to false>>
<<set $perfect to false>>
New Game+ Achievements
<<set $whole to false>>
<<set $FivePercent to false>>
<<set $journeys_end to false>>
<<set $brutal=0>>
<<set $kind=0>>
<<set $pragmatic=0>>
<<set $red_death to false>>
<<set $aware to false>>
<<set $insane to false>>
<<set $sacred_warrior to false>>
<<set $skeptic to false>> This happens when Hyakkimaru refuses to learn Seven Stars sword technique. If skeptic is true, Hyakkimaru will never acquire the technique.
<<set $reincarnate to false>>
Music
<<cacheaudio "thunderstorm" "Audio/thunderstorm.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "final-showdown-myuu" "Audio/final-showdown-myuu.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "success" "Audio/success.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "fail" "Audio/fail.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "win" "Audio/win.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "japanese_garden" "Audio/japanese_garden.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "japanese_koto" "Audio/japanese_koto.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "garden_of_ajisai" "Audio/garden_of_ajisai.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "slash" "Audio/slash.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "black_waters" "Audio/black_waters.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "meditation" "Audio/meditation.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "night_forest" "Audio/night_forest.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "fire" "Audio/fire.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "failfare" "Audio/failfare.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "forest" "Audio/forest.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "angst" "Audio/angst.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "dreamy" "Audio/dreamy.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "ring" "Audio/ring-ring.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "wreck" "Audio/wreck.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "collapse" "Audio/collapse.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "fantasia" "Audio/fantasia.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "woodwalking" "Audio/woodwalking.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "tears_of_grass" "Audio/tears_of_grass.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "faraway" "Audio/faraway.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "traditional_koto" "Audio/traditional_koto.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "darkness" "Audio/darkness.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "chime" "Audio/chime.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "drip" "Audio/drip.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "home" "Audio/home.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "dance" "Audio/dance.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "weird" "Audio/weird.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "sink" "Audio/sink.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "ghost" "Audio/ghost.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "chime" "Audio/chime.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "lullaby" "Audio/lullaby.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "wind" "Audio/wind.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "stream" "Audio/calmstream.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "scream" "Audio/scream.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "banmon" "Audio/banmon.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "arrows" "Audio/arrows.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "nirvana" "Audio/nirvana.mp3">>
<<cacheaudio "daydream" "Audio/daydream.mp3">><<audio ":all" stop>><center><img src="Images/Achievement-0.png">
<<if $mama_just_killed_a_man is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-1.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Mama, Just Killed a Man<br> for murdering a soldier in cold blood.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Perhaps you should try being more bloodthirsty.</center><</if>>
<<if $freak is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-22.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Freak<br> for being ostracized by an entire village, and slaughtering said village.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. People aren't always going to treat you right. If you don't accept that, you'll earn this achievement.</center><</if>>
<<if $insane is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-27.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Insane<br> for falling victim to a demon's tricks and giving in to bloodlust.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. A demon will try to manipulate your mind, and if they succeed, you'll earn this achievement.</center><</if>>
<<if $family is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-23.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Familicide<br> for killing your entire birth family.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. If you really hate your birth family, for whatever reason, you'll earn this achievement.</center><</if>>
<<if $we_dont_kill_people is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-2.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Pacifist<br> for attempting to reason with people who want to murder you.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Perhaps you should stop trying to kill everything that moves.</center><</if>>
<<if $chance_encounter_biwaboushi is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-3.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - The Blind Monk<br> for encountering a mysterious biwa player on your travels.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep traveling and you might find what you seek.</center><</if>>
<<if $enlightened is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-5.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Jesus, Take the Wheel<br> for abandoning your violent quest and embracing your own humanity.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Perhaps you should pray.</center><</if>>
<<if $foster is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-10.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Foster Parent<br> for agreeing to adopt a monster.<br>At least the monster is kinda cute.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Take pity on a poor unfortunate child and you'll unlock it.</center><</if>>
<<if $alone is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-6.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Solo Leveling.<br> You don't need friends. You just don't. And more to the point, you don't have them.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. If you find sidekicks annoying or are especially cruel to children, you'll unlock it.</center><</if>>
<<if $haste is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-7.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - No So Fast<br> for rushing to get to the good part and making bad choices. Good things come to those who wait--and those who think.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. If you want to earn it, be as thoughtless and uncurious as possible.</center><</if>>
<<if $tricked is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-9.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Decieved<br> for failing to recognize that a demon was wearing your friend.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Don't trust sight alone to tell you who someone is.</center><</if>>
<<if $poisoned is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-13.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Poisoned.<br> You really did it. You accepted tea from a stranger. Just, why?</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. To earn this achievement, be so trusting that you become gullible.</center><</if>>
<<if $persuasive is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-17.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Persuasive<br> for reasoning with an angry mob.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Talk to the angry villagers with the torches and pitchforks and convince them not to hurt anyone.</center><</if>>
<<if $hostage is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-20.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Hostage Negotiator<br> for striking a bargain with suspicious villagers.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Try to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement with people who don't trust you.</center><</if>>
<<if $together is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-19.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Stay Together<br>for dying to save your friend and finding them in the afterlife.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. To earn this, you'll have to die to save a friend.</center><</if>>
<<if $mud_man is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-4.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Demon Slayer<br> for killing the monstrous giant.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Remember: you want to kill the demons before they kill you and take more of your stuff!</center><</if>>
<<if $ape is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-8.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Monkey Business<br> for slaying an enormous ape that was possessed by a demon.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. You should try to kill the (ape) monster that you meet.</center><</if>>
<<if $maimaionba is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-16.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Float Like a Butterfly,<br>Sting Like a Bee<br> for destroying Maimai Onba.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Burn the moth with fire. She has something of yours.</center><</if>>
<<if $bandai is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-21.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Monster Hunter<br> for defeating Bandai in all her monster forms.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. There's a lady who runs a village who's pretty suspicious. You might want to look into that..</center><</if>>
<<if $demon_sword is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-11.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Duelist<br> for winning a sword duel against an undefeated opponent.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Try to win the sword duels you agree to participate in honorably.</center><</if>>
<<if $brute is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-15.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Brutal<br> for killing first and asking never.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Don't stop. Don't think. Just kill.</center><</if>>
<<if $left_eye is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-12.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Side-Eye<br> for recovering your left eye from a demon.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep killing demons and you might unlock this one.</center><</if>>
<<if $right_leg is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-18.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - A Leg to Stand On<br> for getting your right leg back from Maimai Onba.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep killing demons and you might unlock this one.</center><</if>>
<<if $right_arm is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-24.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Handy<br> for getting your right arm back from Bandai.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep killing demons and you might unlock this one.</center><</if>>
<<if $perfect is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-14.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Perfect End<br> for discovering the true end of the game.<br>Finding the true end unlocks New Game+ from the main menu.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep searching for the true ending of the base game.</center><</if>><br><<if $newgame is true>>
<<if $temple is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-26.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Mio's Temple<br>for choosing to stay in the ruined temple and fix it up.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. To earn this, you'll have to return to a place of great suffering, and agree to help make things better.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $eguri_valley is true and $newgame is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-31.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Eguri Valley<br>for discovering Ochika and her army.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. To earn this, you'll have to find a long-lost relative.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $aware is true and $newgame is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-28.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Body Awareness<br>for recovering enough body parts from demons to sense your human pieces. A list of recovered body parts will now appear on the Adventure Card.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Keep killing demons and you might unlock this one.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $sacred_warrior is true and $newgame is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-29.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Sacred Warrior<br>for completing your quest on Mount Monju.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Travel to a sacred mountain and regain all the body parts you can to earn this achievement.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $red_death is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-25.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Read Death<br> for rushing headlong into a war that was impossible to win.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. To earn it, find a path to Hyakkimaru's birth family and keep going without asking any questions or stopping for help.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $trusting is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-30.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Trusting <br> for going off alone with a stranger.</i></center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. Make the reckless decision to go off in the night with a complete stranger to earn it. C'mon, you know you want to.</center><</if>><br><br><<if $reincarnate is true>><img src="Images/Achievement-32.png"><center>You have earned the Achievement - Reincarnation<br>for following Mio into her next life.</center><<else>><img src="Images/lock.png"><center>This achievement is locked. If you lose the battle on Mount Monju, you'll encounter an unexpected ally and be faced with a choice to die or return to life. Choosing to move on earns this achievement. </center><</if>><</if>>
<<if $revealbuttons is true>><center> <<return>> </center><</if>>
</center>
Dororo
Adventure
Novel
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio dreamy play>>[[X|Start][UIBar.unstow()]]<<run UIBar.stow()>><div class="wrapper">
<div class="movie">Dororo Adventure Novel: <br>Choose Your Own Adventure</div>
<div class="job"> <h1>Authors</h1></div>
<div class="job"><i>Dororo</i> created by Tezuka Osamu
</div>
<div class="job">Base Game: Text written by Toriumi Jinzō & <br>Suzuki Yoshitake
</div>
<div class="job">New Game_: Text written by Toriumi Jinzō,<br> Nakamura Masaru and <br>Tsuji Masaki, with<br> contributions from <br>Ainikki the Archivist
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"><h1>Translator</h1></div>
<div class="job">Ainikki the Archivist
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"><h1>Image Credits</h1></div>
<div class="job"><h3> DepositPhotos:</h3></div>
<div class="job">Japanese koi and ancient building background (KathyBrown), ID 31527033:</div><div class="job">https://depositphotos.com/photo/japanese-koi-and-ancient-building-background-31527033.html
</div>
<div class="job"><h3> Achievements & Story Assets</h3></div>
<div class="job">The achievement system and all its assets were designed and implemented by Ainikki the Archivist. They are not part of the original game book. The Adventure Card is shared between the physical book and this online version.</div>
<div class="job">All assets were made in Canva Pro.
</div>
<div class="job"><h3> Illustrations</h3></div>
<div class="job">All black-and-white images with a cartouche<br> are original works of Osamu Tezuka.</div><br>
<div class="job">Hyakkimaru</div><div class="job">Biwamaru</div><div class="job">Eyes</div><div class="job">Nun and Child</div><div class="job">Maimai Onba in the Swamp</div><div class="job">Nihil</div><div class="job">Banmon</div><div class="job">Deiki</div><div class="job">Kanekozou</div><div class="job">Kagemitsu</div><div class="job">Dororo vs. Ape</div><div class="job">Nui no Kata</div><div class="job">Sabame</div><div class="job">Tanosuke vs. Hyakkimaru</div><br>
<div class="job"><h1>Music Credits</h1></div>
<div class="job"><h3> Pixabay</h3></div>
<div class="job">The Garden of Ajisai - Japanese Koto Traditonal Music by HarumachiMusic:</div><div class="job"> https://pixabay.com/music/world-the-garden-of-ajisai-japanese-koto-traditional-music-152010/
</div>
<div class="job">Meditation Bowls by Pixabay: </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/meditation-bowls-23651/
</div>
<div class="job">Dreamy Piano Melodies by UNIVERSFIELD
</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-dreamy-piano-melodies-222593/
</div>
<div class="job">Japanese Garden by moodmode: </div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/music/beats-japanese-garden-139092/
</div>
<div class="job">Japanese Relaxing Koto by NourishedByMusic: </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/music/meditationspiritual-japanese-relaxing-koto-140474/
</div>
<div class="job">Tears of Grass, Ancient Japanese Music by Pixabay </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-tears-of-grass-ancient-japanese-music-166263/
</div>
<div class="job">In the place far away -Japanese koto inspirational calm music by HaruMachi Music </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-in-the-place-far-away-japanese-koto-inspirational-calm-music-151182/
</div>
<div class="job"><h3>Myuu</h3></div>
<div class="job">Final Showdown by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/TkIYByeZUoQ?si=7NKexzjwbCly5DpA/
</div>
<div class="job">Black Waters by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/Q7ZcKIvb_A4?si=tJX8Pq-CvzwdXgg8
</div>
<div class="job">Grotesque Fantasia by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/whYImKN3NTo?si=KoB5cCN1w4HOcNHx
</div>
<div class="job">Wind's Wreck by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/DgwLOWAFg5o?si=Hdm1f0rOvNEOIoSw
</div>
<div class="job">Collapse by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/ZvD8QSO7NPw?si=H9MLi6RBaWnA-IVF
</div>
<div class="job">Home by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/rtVBJu3-Q2s?si=O2q_h-f0SPHT6kxh
</div>
<div class="job">Haunted by Screams by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://youtu.be/uSxM2IIABRg?si=tK5ctI_zJW8pSXnm
</div>
<div class="job">Tragic Story Extended by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdLDX-k4e58
</div>
<div class="job">Sanctuary by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWLSW-1jJvs
</div>
<div class="job">Daydream by Myuu:
</div><div class="job">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P5kHnX7f5o
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"><h1>Sound Effects</h1></div>
<div class="job"><h3> Pixabay</h3>
</div><div class="job">Thunderstorm by space_veggies:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/thunderstorm-25054/
</div>
<div class="job">Brass Fail 8 A by floraphonic:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/brass-fail-8-a-207130/
</div>
<div class="job">Positive Notification New Level by UNIVERSFIELD:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/positive-notification-new-level-152480/
</div>
<div class="job">Sword Slash and Swing by DavidDumaisAudio:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/sword-slash-and-swing-185432/
</div>
<div class="job">Crackling Fire by Pixabay:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/crackling-fire-14759/
</div>
<div class="job">Failfare by Pixabay:</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/failfare-86009/
</div>
<div class="job">Chime Sound by NineteenStudios</div><div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/-226232/
</div>
<div class="job">Walking in the Woods by Pixabay: </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/walking-in-the-woods-56002/
</div>
<div class="job">Dripping Water - Nature Sounds by JuliusH: </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/dripping-water-nature-sounds-8050/
</div>
<div class="job">Howling Wind by Liecio: </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/howling-wind-109590/
</div>
<div class="job">Calm Stream In Forest by BurghRecords (Freesound) </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/calm-stream-in-forest-19355/
</div>
<div class="job">Scream (with Echo) by CharlieHelsel (Freesound) </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/scream-with-echo-46585/
</div>
<div class="job">Many Arrows Flying By by DJARTMUSIC </div> <div class="job">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/many-arrows-flying-by-306037/
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"><h1>Twine Documentation</h1></div>
<div class="job">Sugarcube 2 Documentation: </div><div class="job">https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/
</div>
<div class="job">Chapel - custom macros collection: </div><div class="job">https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2
</div>
<div class="job">Cycy's custom macros:</div><div class="job">https://github.com/cyrusfirheir/cycy-wrote-custom-macros
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"><h1>A Note from Ainikki the Archivist</h1>
</div>
<div class="job">I loved every second of recreating this game book.
</div>
<br>
<div class="job"> It was put together with extreme care in Japanese, and my intentions in translating it were to preserve this effort as well as update the format for modern gamers.
</div>
<div class="job"> This book was published in 1988, well before most home computers were sophisticated enough to run even a simple game like this one.</div>
<div class="job"> By streamlining the battle system and making Adventure Card updates as painless as possible, I hope that I have placed the emphasis where it most belongs: on the story--and on having fun.
</div>
<div class="job">Thank you so much for taking this incredible journey with me.</div>
<br>
<div class="name">Are you ready for another adventure?</div>
<<timed 183s>><<run UIBar.unstow()>><<goto "Introduction">><</timed>>
<!-- ANY LINKS FOR THE MENU GO HERE -->
<<if settings.achievements>><<link "☆Achievements">>
<<script>>
Dialog.setup("☆Achievements");
Dialog.wiki(Story.get("☆Achievements").processText());
Dialog.open();
<</script>>
<</link>><</if>>
<<link "★Adventure Card">>
<<script>>
Dialog.setup("★Adventure Card");
Dialog.wiki(Story.get("★Adventure Card").processText());
Dialog.open();
<</script>>
<</link>>
<<link "Main Menu" "Main Menu">>
<</link>>
<<if $end is true>><<link "New Game+" "New Game+">>
<</link>><</if>>
<<if $party is true>><<link "Party Screen" "Party Screen">>
<</link>><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>One of the soldiers placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Hyakkimaru turned to the soldier, flinging the prosthetic covering his right arm off as he moved in and pierced the man's heart. The sword he'd revealed was embedded in his right arm at the elbow.
The soldier fell to the ground, groaning in pain.
"Let's get him!" The other soldiers all attacked at once. Hyakkimaru faced them down, slaying them swiftly. The sword embedded in his arm dripped with blood.
A shuriken dropped by one of the fallen soldiers landed at Hyakkimaru's feet. He picked it up. <i>This might be useful for something,</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
3 points have been added to Hyakkimaru's Attack Power.
<<set $attack_power_h to $attack_power_h + 3>>
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 172]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>Pale moonlight filtered through the night mist, illuminating the road. As Hyakkimaru walked, he heard the pleasant sound of a biwa being played. He stopped to listen. The player was highly skilled. A low voice accompanied the music, soft but growing louder: "The wind blows to the east, and it rains in the west..."
The voice recalled Hyakkimaru to where he was. <i>What kind of person would come out here and play the biwa so late at night?</i>
Hyakkimaru focused his psychokinetic senses past the mist to take a better look at the biwa player. He was a strange-looking old man dressed as a Buddhist monk. His eyes were white: he was entirely blind.
<img src="Images/Biwaboushi.png">
"If the fickle wind carries my scent," the monk sang, continuing his song, "it will sneak up behind me..."
Satisfied with his observations, Hyakkimaru passed the blind monk by and resumed his journey.
"Wait!" the blind monk called out behind him.
Hyakkimaru stopped walking and turned back to the monk.
The monk fixed Hyakkimaru with his white stare. "You reek of death."
"How... how can you tell?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"I just can. You are haunted by demons and spirits. They will never grant you rest."
"Were you the one who called out to me in that wayside shrine, some nights ago?"
"No, this is the first time I have ever encountered you. But I can tell that you are in grave danger."
Hyakkimaru said nothing to that.
"Where are you headed?" the blind monk asked.
"I have no destination. I'm searching for a happier place."
"A difficult goal, especially for one such as you. Though I suppose that where there is life, there is hope."
Hyakkimaru thought the monk was being inscrutable on purpose. His words caused Hyakkimaru's heart to ache.
"So while I'm still alive... I can hope."
"Exactly." The blind monk rose, strapping his biwa to his back as he stood up. He retrieved a walking stick from the ground and used it to stand up straighter. In a flash, he cast away the walking stick, revealing a thin sharp blade beneath it. He brought the tip of that blade to Hyakkimaru's neck as quick as lightning.
Hyakkimaru gasped. He wasn't cut--the old monk's sword stopped just short of piercing his throat.
This display was beyond impressive. Hyakkimaru was used to fighting off demons and monsters, but the blind monk had moved so quickly that Hyakkimaru had not been able to react at all. Slowly, deliberately, the monk dropped his sword and sheathed it back into the walking stick that usually concealed it.
"You are too accustomed to living according to your own will. Now you should understand how difficult it is to keep on living. How difficult it is to find a happier place."
Hyakkimaru remained silent, uncertain of what to say.
"There is no more happiness in this world," the monk said. "All you can do is rely on yourself, and hope. I am sorry."
The blind monk turned away, vanishing into the evening mist.
Hyakkimaru gaped after him. He had never felt so lost in his life.
<<if $chance_encounter_biwaboushi is false>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><<set $chance_encounter_biwaboushi to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-3.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - The Blind Monk<br> for encountering a mysterious biwa player on your travels.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 87]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><i>Does this mysterious monk know my fate?</i> Hyakkimaru asked himself. The monk had been swallowed up by mist and fog, but his words lingered in Hyakkimaru's heart.
Then a wind arose, cutting through the fog and leaving a clear space ahead of Hyakkimaru. There was a sound like something being dragged coming from the road. Hyakkimaru sensed something strange and threatening and sharpened his psychokinetic senses in the direction of the sound.
Finally, a pair of straw sandals came into view. Sandals without an owner--sandals that were walking on their own. The empty sandals approached Hyakkimaru at an unhurried pace.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 303 - Straw Sandals Demon]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The straw sandals dragged themselves over the muddy road. Hyakkimaru stood still, listening. The sandals stopped moving, and there was silence.
<i>It's a demon,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. After a moment's reflection, he kept walking.
The straw sandals followed him.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 47]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio slash play>>The straw sandals were coming closer. Hyakkimaru spun on his heel and brought the uncovered blade in his right arm up, slashing outward.
There was a gasp and a spray of blood as the straw sandals stopped moving. A dark shape moved above the sandals now, and it was bleeding at a rapid rate.
The sandals melted away into nothingness as the demon bled out and perished.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 232]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A woven mat lay discarded on the side of the road. It lay still for a few moments, then moved of its own accord, shifting up and down. The mat lifted away from the ground and pitched to the side, unveiling a human skeleton.
Was it the skeleton that had been moving, or the mat?
Neither. A small black beast wriggled out from between the skeleton's legs and got on the road. Wasted and thin, the beast followed after Hyakkimaru with the doggedness of a starving animal.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 270]]>><</button>> </center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A village came into view on the horizon: a welcome sight for the weary Hyakkimaru. But Hyakkimaru still could not rest. He felt the presence of a hostile pursuer behind him.
<i>Why must these things always follow me?</i> Hyakkimaru thought. He steeled his nerves. For all he knew, he was walking directly into a demon's trap.
What does Hyakkimaru do?
<center><<button[[Keep on walking.->Scene 198]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Confront the demon now.->Scene 67]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The beast crested a hill, its body limned by moonlight. Its sinister glowing eyes tracked Hyakkimaru as he walked downhill just ahead. Hyakkimaru could sense the beast's true nature through his psychokinetic senses.
<i>It's a wild mountain dog, but not</i><b> just</b><i> a wild mountain dog.</i>
Hyakkimaru never stopped moving. He put one foot in front of the other, walking rapidly to put distance between himself and the dog. He was almost to the village.
As Hyakkimaru reached the village outskirts, the wild mountain dog's demonic presence vanished from Hyakkimaru's senses. It was as if the dog had never been following him at all.
Hyakkimaru let some of his usual vigilance relax as he walked into the village.
Check ''B'' on the Adventure Card. <<set $B="b">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 72]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
The beast was a mangy and ravenous wild mountain dog. Even at a distance, Hyakkimaru could sense the malevolent spirit that had taken control of the animal.
<i>The demon is possessing this poor dog.</i>
Hyakkimaru broke into a run. Not to be outdone, the demon-possessed dog followed fast on his heels. The dog's speed was incredible, and it rapidly closed the distance.
When the dog was almost on top of him, Hyakkimaru spun and charged at the dog full force.
<i>Hyakkimaru and the demon-possessed dog do battle. In this case, since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power.</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mountain Dog - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td>
<td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mountain Dog - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><br>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 315]]>><</button>></center></td>
<td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 92]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio slash play>>"Damn it, cut down that kid!"
The soldiers pressed the attack on Hyakkimaru. A sharp spear aimed for his gut, but he dodged. He danced under the cut of a sword, his expression set in lines of anger.
"You've gotta understand," one of the soldiers said. "We don't let any of the street rats live."
Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic senses responded to his rage. His left arm prosthetic flew off, revealing another blade. The sword glowed with power: it was capable of killing demons outright.
Hyakkimaru struck with both blades simultaneously, catching one man in the throat with his right blade and thrusting into the chest of another with the left blade.
One by one and then by twos and threes, Hyakkimaru's demon-killing sword shredded the attackers, until they were all dead.
Hyakkimaru kept walking.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 172]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "200">><<audio success play>>
<</if>><<if $battle7 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 > "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 315]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 92]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle9 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle9 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle9 > "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 315]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 92]]>><</button>></center><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The mountain dog collapsed, still struggling to turn toward Hyakkimaru. The dog's body fell to the ground in two pieces lengthwise, bisected from the space between the eyes to the tail.
"This demon was an idiot," Hyalkkimaru spat. He put his back to his vanquished foe and kept walking. He attempted to clean the blood off the blade in his right arm, but no matter how much he tried, it kept dripping the demon's blood onto the muddy ground.
Thick white smoke rose from the body of the slain mountain dog. The smoke dissipated slowly, revealing the bleached white skeleton of the dog. Then the monster reformed its skin and muscles and slunk away.
Hyakkimaru cleaned the blood off his right sword again and hid it inside his prosthetic. He walked the rest of the way to the nearby village.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 72]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Two gusts of wind propelled the wild mountain dog past Hyakkimaru. The beast landed on all four feet and leaped at his foe.
Hyakkimaru collapsed to his knees in the middle of the road. His right shoulder was a mess of pulp and blood, and the sword embedded in his right arm fell to the ground. He groaned in pain.
The wild mountain dog's eyes shone bright with rage. It raised its head to the sky and howled.
"Come and get me, you monster," Hyakkimaru gritted out.
The wild mountain dog leaped at him again. Hyakkimaru launched the sword embedded in his left arm at the demon using psychokinesis. The sword flew straight at the wild mountain dog--
--and the beast caught the sword in its mouth.
Hyakkimaru staggered to his feet, injured and weaponless.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 175]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The village had an eerie, lifeless feel to it. Though it appeared to be a farming village, Hyakkimaru sensed no livestock.
If he hadn't been so exhausted, mentally and physically, Hyakkimaru might have paid more attention to the strangeness of the village he'd just walked into. As things were, he desperately needed rest. He went into a small, empty farmhouse and lay down to sleep.
Hyakkimaru slept soundly. An uneasy feeling of threat woke him after what felt like a long time. In the surrounding dark, he sensed a hand reaching out for him--
--reaching for the sword at his hip.
"Who's there?" Hyakkimaru asked the darkness.
"Gah!" The thief's hand withdrew, and the thief himself fell on his butt and rolled over. The light of the moon shone through the farmhouse's dilapidated roof, revealing a young boy. His black hair was unkempt and the thin garment he wore was much too small for him. His eyes were sunken in like a raccoon dog's. He looked like a pint-sized vagabond.
"You were only pretending to be asleep!" the would-be thief said in an accusatory tone.
"I remain on alert, even in my sleep," Hyakkimaru said. "You have some nerve being mad at <i>me</i> for not staying still while you robbed me."
<img src="Images/CheckB.png">
<center><<if $B is "b">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 157]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $B is "B">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 29]]>><</button>><</if>>
<<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: B is checked.->Scene 157]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: B is not checked.->Scene 29]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Come on out!" Hyakkimaru called into the trees. "I know you're hiding!"
Dororo peeked out from behind a cedar tree. His smile was full of mischief. "Hehehe...."
While Hyakkimaru was distracted, the enormous ape moved. Hyakkimaru used his psychokinetic senses to track it.
"Are you still after my sword?" Hyakkimaru asked. "It doesn't even have a name. It's very boring."
"That means <i>I</i> get to give it a name! Thanks for holding onto it for me. I'll collect it when I'm good and ready. I'll get it from you even if it costs me my anonymity. I'm the world's greatest thief that no one knows about! The world's best-kept secret!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 297]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru clenched his jaw. "You're more likely to die before you get your hands on my sword," he said.
The enormous ape stilled, observing the conversation.
"Why? Because of that great big monkey over there? I'm more than a match for it," Dororo said.
"That ape is a demon. It's dead, but a spirit is possessing it and spying on me."
"Sounds like a lie," Dororo said, sing-song. "I won't be tricked by such obvious falsehoods."
"Shut up." Hyakkimaru was annoyed by Dororo's hubris. "Don't follow me anymore." And then he spun, running into the shadow of a cedar tree. He found a clear path through the thick-growing trees and sprinted away like a bullet from a gun.
Dororo had no hope of matching Hyakkimaru's speed, so he didn't try. He watched Hyakkimaru go, then addressed the enormous ape. "Hi there, Mr. Monkey. You sure look strong!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 131]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 6.</i>
"I'll tell you what. If you can draw the sword out of this scabbard, I'll give it to you," Hyakkimaru said, tossing the boy his scabbard.
"'Nuff said. The sword's as good as mine!" The boy pulled and pulled at the sword's hilt until he was red in the face, but it wouldn't budge.
"It won't come out," Hyakkimaru said. "It can't. It's nothing but a decoration."
"Then you're not even a real swordsman." The boy hmphed.
Suddenly, Hyakkimaru settled into a fighting stance.
"Oh, did I make ya mad?" the boy asked. "Well, I ain't scared of you!"
Hyakkimaru slammed into the boy, pinning him to the floor as a gust of cold wind passed over their heads.
"Gah! Get off me! What are you doing!" the boy shouted.
The wind returned, cutting through the air where Hyakkimaru and and the boy had been standing.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the threatening wind. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Threatening Wind - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Threatening Wind - Use 6]]>><</button>></center></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 245]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 279 - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Fight the Wild Mountain Dog Demon]]>><</button>></center></td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The boy stumbled back. "And why shouldn't a little guy like me ply my trade? We've all gotta eat. No, mister, you're lookin' at this the wrong way. You seem awful proud of how fast you react even when you're sleepin'. It seems like you can take care of yourself just fine, so why not give that sword to little old me? So I can protect myself like you do, you understand."
"A thief as well as an idiot," Hyakkimaru said. "Take my advice: don't come after me."
The boy scowled. "You don't have to be so rude. And because you said that, I think I'll just stick with ya for a bit."
"You don't want to do that," Hyakkimaru. "If you stick around, something terrible will happen to you." He leaned forward, tensing his body.
The boy's hands came up, fast and coordinated, to defend his head. "You won't lay a finger on me!" He danced fast circles around Hyakkimaru, who ignored his movements.
Suddenly, Hyakkimaru ripped the prosthetic off his right arm, uncovering the sword there.
The boy screamed in fright and fled the farmhouse, running away into the village.
Check ''D'' on the Adventure Card. <<set $D="d">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 226]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><center><<if $battle > "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 245]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 279 - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Fight the Wild Mountain Dog Demon]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle6 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle6 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle6 > "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 245]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle6 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle6 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle6 < "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 279 - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Fight the Wild Mountain Dog Demon]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Two sinister eyes glowed in the darkness.
"Don't move," Hyakkimaru said. "It's a wild mountain dog."
"That dog ate all the people in the village!" the boy said.
The mountain dog growled, then lunged at Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru rolled, carrying the boy along with him to protect him.
The mountain dog targeted the dirt floor beneath their feet. Hyakkimaru approached cautiously, revealing his right sword arm as he moved. The boy gaped at Hyakkimaru's back with open amazement.
The dog's fur stood on end as it searched for an opening to attack. Finding none, the beast sprinted to the door of the farmhouse and fled into the village.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 6: Fighting the Demon Possessed Mountain Dog]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The wind came from the wild mountain dog. It stared hungrily at Hyakkimaru with its fangs bared. Hyakkimaru stood against the wall with the boy behind him. They were cornered, but they had to fight.
"That's a demon," Hyakkimaru said. "It won't leave us alone if we run. We have to fight it."
The wild mountain dog growled low in its throat, then leaped at Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru cast the prosthetic arm off and pointed his sword arm at the rampaging demon.
The demon dodged, just barely, manipulating the wind so that it could vault over Hyakkimaru's head. It landed easily on all four paws and moved to attack again.
"Damn it!" Hyakkimaru said. He pulled off his other prosthetic arm and faced the demon with both swords out.
The demon tore into Hyakkimaru's left shoulder. The sword in that arm came loose and clattered to the ground.
The boy watched all of this in wide-eyed shock. He crept away from the battle and fled before the demon could give chase.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 175]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The first light of the morning sun touched the dead and empty village. No farmers rose to do their chores and no villagers went on errands to the silent shops.
Hyakkimaru stood outside the farmhouse where he'd taken shelter and faced down the wild mountain dog. The dog glared at him from several paces away. The boy peeked out at them from the entrance of the farmhouse, his face pale from battle and nervousness.
The wild dog and Hyakkimaru ran at each other at the same time. The wind howled. Blood fell like rain, carried upward by the strength of the wind before falling to earth.
The mountain dog's body fell, limbless and headless, still bleeding. The limbs and head scattered, landing far away from the body.
"Wow! That was amazing!" The boy ran out of his hiding spot and gave a little cheer.
Hyakkimaru found a patch of grass and cleaned the blood off his sword arm.
They boy's eyes latched onto Hyakkimaru's sword arm like a barnacle to a rock.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 200]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Thick white smoke rose from the body of the slain mountain dog. The smoke dissipated slowly, revealing the bleached white skeleton of the dog.
"Is that what you expected, kid, or are you surprised?" Hyakkimaru asked. He picked up the right arm prosthetic that he'd thrown off inside the farmhouse and slotted it back into place. The boy was mightily interested in Hyakkimaru's sword arm and followed him like an over-eager puppy.
"I'm heading for the next village. There doesn't seem to be much food here," Hyakkimaru said. He walked away with measured steps. The boy followed after him, silent.
Hyakkimaru stopped moving all of a sudden. The boy also stopped still.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 290]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"If you follow me, this sword will make you suffer for it," Hyakkimaru said.
"Hehehe... I don't care. I want that sword. If it puts me through hell before I finally get my hands on it, I won't mind."
<center><<button[[Dororo is going to follow Hyakkimaru no matter what; there's no point in fighting it.->Scene 239]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru doesn't want anyone following him. Drive off Dororo now, before it's too late.->Scene 49]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I'll chop you up into little pieces!" Hyakkimaru yelled at the fleeing boy.
"You can try!" the boy yelled back.
"All right, I will!"
Hyakkimaru leveled his sword and charged at the boy. The boy dodged with impressive speed and ran.
"Hey you! I'm not done with you yet!" Hyakkimaru called after him.
The boy moved like a blur as he reached the edge of the village and kept running. Hyakkimaru chased the boy until he couldn't sense him anymore.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 301 - Hyakkimaru Rests]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru was hungry and weary. It was no wonder: the stress of worrying about when the next demon would appear was wearing him out. He searched the fallow fields around the nearby village for something to eat and foraged enough to feed himself.
After he ate, Hyakkimaru went into an empty farmhouse and slept like the dead until the next morning.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 171]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru awoke late on the morning of the next day. His mind wandered in gloomy thoughts as he prepared to leave the eerie, empty village.
<i>I'm always being followed by demons that other people can't see. Will they kill me? Will I end up like this village, dead and empty inside? Can I win? And if I do, will my real body return to me?</i>
The hope of success stirred something to life within Hyakkimaru. He felt ready to fight again as he got back on the road leading out of the village. When he was passing alongside a river, he heard shouts. He thought the shouts were coming from the opposite side of the river.
Hyakkimaru came to a wide bridge that extended over the river and saw the cause of the commotion: a group of men surrounding a boy. They punctuated their shouts with blows to the boy's stomach. The men had the look of day laborers. Their speech was uncouth and improper.
"You little brat! How dare ya try tricking us like that!" one of the men yelled, incensed.
"Did ya think you'd get away with it?!" another man added. He dragged the unmoving boy over the bridge and tossed him carelessly on the opposite shore. The boy was in no fit state to respond to the accusations made against him.
<i>What do those men think they're doing?</i> Hyakkimaru thought, getting angry himself. <i>They'll kill that boy!</i> He watched, pitying, but made no move to intervene as yet.
Then the boy looked up from his faceplant on the ground and hurled a stone at one of his attackers. The stone struck a man in the head. The man brought a hand to his injured face and said, "Ow! That does it, brat! You must really want to die to today!"
The boy was on his feet, throwing stones at all the men threatening him as fast as he could. Hyakkimaru recognized the boy as the thief who'd attempted to steal his sword in the empty village.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru asks the men why they are hurting the thief.->Scene 235]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru rushes over the bridge, choosing not to get involved with the thief and whatever these men are doing.->Scene 224]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The boy jumped into the river with a terrific splash and tried to flee.
"Dororo! We won't forgive your crimes this time!" a man shouted from the shoreline.
"Grab him before he gets away! We need to show him his place!"
The boy's attackers hauled him out of the river and resumed beating him up.
Hyakkimaru hated to see this and called out to the men. "Hey! What are you doing?" he asked.
A big man who egged on the others caught Dororo by the collar, then looked up at Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru stood in the center of the bridge, above Dororo and the men who were attacking him.
The man glared at Hyakkimaru. "What do <i>you</i> want?" he asked. "Keep on walkin'."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 46]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>It looked like the thief had landed himself in some more trouble.
<i>Clumsy, getting caught,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. <i>Maybe he deserves to be punished a bit more.</i>
Hyakkimaru crossed the bridge again. The men and the thief were under the bridge. The men, including the big guy leading them, resumed their beating of the thief as Hyakkimaru walked away.
Check ''C'' on the Adventure Card. <<set $C="c">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 135]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Why are you trying to kill that boy?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Ya think you know what's goin' on here, but ya don't."
"Maybe I don't, but I know that you're beating a child to death. He's just a little kid; can't you forgive whatever he did?"
"No way. Not this time. This here brat is Dororo, and he's a plague in these parts."
"Dororo... ?"
"He ain't no innocent little kid. He tricks people, steals stuff, and wreaks havoc wherever he goes. He's nothing but a street rat that needs to be put down."
"Even if all that's true, why do you have to kill him? If you kill him, his vengeful spirit will haunt you."
The man laughed. "Like I care about ghosts. Men, bring me a mat to wrap the brat in. We'll tie him up inside it and throw him in the river!"
The angry, violent men held Dororo down on top of a bamboo mat and started to roll it up with the boy inside it.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 135]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A hostile presence alerted Hyakkimaru to danger. "Stop!" he called to the men. "Can you hear it?"
The men under the bridge looked over at Hyakkimaru. "What do you mean? Hear what?"
"A voice," Hyakkimaru said. "I hear the voice of a vengeful spirit."
"Are you messing with us, kid? I don't hear a thing."
Hyakkimaru shut his eyes tight, concentrating on what he heard. "I can definitely hear it."
"And so what? Why should we fear a ghost? Our land is overflowing with the dead and dying. We have far more to fear from the living than we do from the dead!"
A cold wind blew, bringing dark clouds with it.
"You have to believe me," Hyakkimaru said. "The wind is bringing it closer."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 215]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>It was dead silent. Even the sounds of the river faded away, as if it had stopped flowing. The men standing under the bridge didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong.
The big man looked to the cloudy sky and chuckled. "Who's afraid of a little rain? Don't make me laugh. Come on, guys. Let's throw this trash downstream."
The man and his fellows picked up Dororo, who was wrapped in a bamboo mat, and tossed him right into the middle of the river.
Bubbles appeared on the surface of the water near where Dororo landed. A large lump of refuse rose to the surface and floated along.
One of the men reached out to the lump of garbage. "So this is supposed to be a vengeful spirit, is it?" he asked.
"Don't touch that!" Hyakkimaru said.
But Hyakkimaru's admonition came too late: the man was already touching the lump. Before Hyakkimaru could say another word, the lump of garbage rose up out of the water, revealing a monstrous giant. The giant swallowed up the man's hand like an afterthought.
<img src="Images/Deiki.png">
The man screamed.
Before everyone's eyes, the man who had touched the lump of garbage dissolved into mist until nothing but bones remained.
<img src="Images/CheckC.png">
<center><<if $C is "c">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 174]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $C is "C">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 323]]>><</button>><</if>>
<<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: C is checked.->Scene 174]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: C is not checked.->Scene 323]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio black_waters play>>The lump of garbage spread over the surface of the river, swallowing up the man who'd touched it. The man's flesh fell off his body as cleanly as if had been sliced off. It dissolved into the water, revealing the bones beneath. The unfortunate man's bones sank into the river, out of sight. His fellows scattered into the forest, running away from the river as fast as possible.
Dororo was wrapped in a bamboo mat and was still struggling to free himself. He floated down the river with only his head visible; the rest was concealed by the mat. He looked on in horror as the toxic sludge of garbage spread over the water.
"Help! Someone help me!"
Hyakkimaru detached his right sword arm at the elbow, throwing it at Dororo with perfect aim. The sword cut through the air, slashing the ropes holding the bamboo mat wrapped around Dororo clean through. Dororo was miraculously unhurt. He swam as fast as he could away from the garbage as it spread inexorably in his direction.
"Go faster!" Hyakkimaru shouted. "You have to get away!"
When Dororo reached the shore, the garbage in the river climbed out after as an enormous mass and followed him.
Dororo tried to run into the woods--
--too late.
The mass of garbage and sludge encased Dororo as he screamed, leaving behind nothing but a white-bleached child-sized skeleton.
Slurping wetly as if it had enjoyed its meals, the mass of garbage grew upward, solidifying into a monstrous, slimy giant.
<<if $alone is false>><<set $brutal=$brutal+1>><<set $alone to true>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-6.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Solo Leveling.<br> You don't need friends. You just don't. And more to the point, you don't have them.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 88]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The men fled from the mist in a panic. Their comrade's bones gleamed white where they floated in the river. The bamboo mat that Dororo was wrapped in got caught on a jagged rock and stopped floating away.
The monstrous giant, searching for prey, identified the unmoving Dororo and headed in the boy's direction.
As Dororo struggled one-handed to unwrap himself, he called out, "Help! Please help me!"
Hyakkimaru detached his right sword arm at the elbow, throwing it at Dororo with perfect aim. The sword cut through the air, slashing the ropes holding the bamboo mat wrapped around Dororo clean through. Dororo was miraculously unhurt.
"Hurry up and get back on the bridge," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo swam quickly in the direction of the bridge. In response, the monstrous giant grew even larger. It glided over the surface of the water at great speed.
Dororo reached the bridge just ahead of the monster and started to climb. The monster reached out a slimy appendage toward Dororo's leg.
"You cut that pretty close," Hyakkimaru said as he yanked Dororo up by the collar with his single remaining hand. Just like that, Dororo was out of the monster's reach.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 173]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 1.</i>
The monstrous giant slid onto the bridge, pursuing Dororo.
"Run across the bridge and keep running," Hyakkimaru said. "Hurry!"
Dororo sprinted over the bridge.
The monstrous giant spread its huge, slimy body over the entire length of the bridge. It wanted to swallow Hyakkimaru whole.
<i>I have to defeat this thing in one hit,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. <i>If it survives and touches me, it's all over.</i>
The monstrous giant finished spreading over the bridge and contracted its body inward to trap Hyakkimaru inside.
<i>Hyakkimaru engages the monstrous giant in battle. In this case, since Hyakkimaru is fighting alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Garbage Giant - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Garbage Giant - Use 1]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 282]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Dead End: Hyakkimaru is Eaten by the Monstrous Giant]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio wind play loop>>Hyakkimaru approached the warrior with hesitant steps.
"That sword will be mine!"
Hyakkimaru chuckled. "This sword belongs to me. I won't hand it over to anyone." He pulled the sword at his hip from its sheath silently and stood in an attacking stance.
The wind kicked up, swirling around them with an eerie echo.
"Stop, please!" Osushi cried out from behind Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 180]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "250">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "250">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "250">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 282]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "250">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "250">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "250">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Dead End: Hyakkimaru is Eaten by the Monstrous Giant]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle8 > "250">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle8 > "250">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle8 > "250">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 282]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle8 < "250">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle8 < "250">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle8 < "250">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Dead End: Hyakkimaru is Eaten by the Monstrous Giant]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru cried out, thinking that he was trapped, but at the last moment he jumped away from the monstrous giant's all-encompassing body, landing on the river shore just beyond the bridge. The force of such a leap put him off-balance, and he fell backward through a wide gap in the bridge. He caught himself on the girders underneath the bridge and paused to get his breath back. Hyakkimaru prepared to run away--
--only, he didn't. Not this time. Instead of fleeing from the monstrous giant, Hyakkimaru used the sword embedded in his left arm to cut through the girders supporting the bridge. First one, then two, then more girders fell in pieces into the river below. His agility and speed were a sight to behold as he dismantled the bridge from below, bit by slow bit.
The monstrous giant writhed atop the bridge, looking fruitlessly for its prey as the bridge it rested on fell to pieces beneath it.
The bridge could no longer bear the weight of the monstrous giant and commenced its collapse. The monstrous giant briefly lost control of its liquid-like body as the support it relied on vanished all at once. Broken girders and splinters of bridge pierced the monstrous giant as it fell, rending its body into tiny pieces that scattered and floated downstream.
And that was the end of the monstrous giant.
<<if $mud_man is false>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $mud_man to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-4.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Demon Slayer<br> for killing the monstrous giant.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<img src="Images/CheckD.png">
<center><<if $D is "d">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 105]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $D is "D">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 233]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: D is checked.->Scene 105]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: D is not checked.->Scene 233]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio black_waters play>>With a hissing sound, the monstrous giant flowed under Hyakkimaru's feet. Hyakkimaru's left sword arm detached at the elbow and flew straight at the giant's head.
The giant was injured, but not killed. The vengeful spirit possessing it had the advantage of immortality.
"Ah!"
With one last cry, Hyakkimaru was swallowed up by the monstrous giant. His blood sprayed into the river below. After a little while, his skeleton fell into the river and faded away into nothingness.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited is false>><<set $visited to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru picked up the sword that he'd thrown to free Dororo from the bamboo mat and slotted it back in place. Then he walked uphill, putting some distance between himself and the destroyed bridge.
Dororo stood close to the bridge, waiting for Hyakkimaru. "That sword is super sharp!"
"Blades can't cut spirits or demons. They possess physical forms, like sandals or dogs."
Dororo wasn't listening to a word that Hyakkimaru said. His gaze was fixed on Hyakkimaru's sword arm.
"You can't really kill a demon or a spirit," Hyakkimaru continued. "You can cut down or destroy whatever vessel they're possessing, but they always come back in some form or another. Remember that."
"That sword in your arm... is it a famous sword?" Dororo asked.
"You're still fixating on that? It's a good enough sword, I suppose."
Dororo chuckled nastily. "Well, then, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, I'll take that famous sword for myself!"
Hyakkimaru laughed. "And how did you intend to take it, exactly?" Hyakkimaru turned his back to Dororo and climbed up the embankment. He needed to get back on the road.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 25]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru picked up the sword that he'd thrown to free Dororo from the bamboo mat and slotted it back in place. Then he walked uphill, putting some distance between himself and the river.
Dororo ran up to him and tried to touch his sword arm.
"Don't touch me," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo withdrew his hand.
"Well, now that's over. Take care of yourself, kid." Hyakkimaru spun on his heel and walked away.
<center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 25]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru walked along the road, considering his goal. <i>Some day, I might have all my missing pieces back. I would have a normal human body, then... but how long will that take?</i>
Restoring his body was Hyakkimaru's singular purpose in life.
<i>I wonder what goal Dororo lives for,</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
Dororo was following him. Hyakkimaru sensed Dororo's presence and turned around. Dororo stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hehehehe..." Dororo laughed nervously.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 10: Hyakkimaru Shows Dororo His Eyes]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru looked Dororo in the eyes. "Listen very carefully and pay attention," Hyakkimaru said. "I will say this only once."
"You tryin' to scare me or somethin'? Well, you're not gonna. I'm Dororo, the greatest thief in the world!"
"Look into my eyes," Hyakkimaru said. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, then fell completely out. His left eyeball fell to the ground, followed closely by his right eyeball.
Dororo took an involuntary step back, tripped over his own feet and landed flat on his ass. "Ah! Your eyes! Your eyes, they..."
<img src="Images/Eyes.png">
Hyakkimaru had two gaping empty holes in his head in place of eyes. "Stunned speechless, hm? Pick them up, Dororo."
"What?" Dororo hesitated. When Hyakkimaru said nothing, he looked down at the eyes as if they were haunted objects. He gathered them up with great care.
"Those are artificial," Hyakkimaru said. "Just for show. But I can see everything." While saying this, Hyakkimaru pulled off his right and left ears. "My ears are fake, too. But I hear everything."
"That's weird. How can you even tell if you can see and hear anything when you ain't got eyes or ears?"
"Only one of my organs is truly mine, and that's my mind. My mind senses everything."
"I had no idea you were so freaky."
Hyakkimaru smiled tightly. "I've been this way for as long as I remember--since I was born. By the time I became aware of myself, I knew of no other way to perceive the world around me."
Hyakkimaru accepted his false eyes from Dororo, then set them back into their places. Then he put his ears back on.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 24]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio meditation play>>About half a year had passed. Winter encroached on a secluded mountain temple. A solitary monk--Hyakkimaru--took up residence there.
No one ever came to the mountain temple. Not people, and not demons. Hyakkimaru had found a different kind of answer than the one he'd sought.
As Hyakkimaru sat and prayed in the temple, a cold wind blew over the mountain.
<center>END</center>
<<if $enlightened is false>><<set $enlightened to true>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-5.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Jesus, Take the Wheel<br>for abandoning your violent quest and embracing your own humanity.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru ran down the main road and through the front doors of Daigo Kagemitsu's estate.
Dororo rushed after him, only a little slower. When he came to the estate's front doors, two headless guards lay there in pools of their own blood.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 83]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The swamp was still, silent, and creepy. The atmosphere made Dororo's skin crawl. The villagers concealed themselves in the darkness at the edge of the swamp, waiting for what would happen next.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru held pine torches aloft, revealing a group of villagers that had captured Lord Sabame. The two torches were the only source of light in the swamp's encroaching darkness. Dororo and Hyakkimaru stood wreathed in light like figures in a heroic painting.
"All right, Sabame. I am going to show you who your wife truly is. Moths are sensitive to light. Even if they hide underwater, the allure of light is strong. See with your own eyes who--what--your wife is. Are you ready, Dororo?"
At Dororo's nod, Hyakkimaru lifted his torch high and jumped into a small boat. Dororo followed him, placing himself in the middle of the boat while Hyakkimaru stood at the prow. Hyakkimaru looked out at the surface of the water as the torchlight illuminated ripples. He and Dororo rowed toward the center of the swamp's darkness. There was no sound save for the water lapping at the sides of the boat and the creaking of the oars as they shifted in their sockets.
When it was dark all around, Hyakkimaru pulled the sword from the scabbard at his hip and held it in his right hand. In his left hand, he carried the torch.
"Dororo, it's time," Hyakkimaru said. "Be careful."
The air of the swamp was so thick with tension that Hyakkimaru could cut it with his sword. The surface of the water swirled into a shallow whirlpool. A column of water rose from the surface of the swamp and expanded, gaining power and intensity.
At the top of the column of water stood a woman in a Noh costume. Her hair was long and silver-white, and her face was concealed by a demon mask.
<img src="Images/MaiMaiOnba Swamp Water.png">
"Sabame, open your eyes and see!" Hyakkimaru called out. "This is what your wife really looks like! This is who she really is!"
Sabame steeled himself, then looked at his wife as she glided atop the column of water. His eyes went so wide in amazement that he feared they would never close.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 144]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio night_forest play>>Hyakkimaru focused on nothing but putting one foot in front of the other as he fled. He became nothing but a vessel for the spirit of running as he traveled deeper and deeper into the forest. He'd never had arms, and now, he had no swords, either.
The gentle murmuring of a stream was a balm to Hyakkimaru's raw nerves. He crawled toward the stream, then hunched protectively into himself. He tried drinking the water in the stream and found it good-tasting.
After drinking his fill, Hyakkimaru regained some measure of composure and stood up. Birds chirped in the trees. Clouds drifted lazily through the sky overhead. The world was the same as it had always been.
<i>Am I going to die?</i> Hyakkimaru asked himself. <i>Why do I have to die?</i>
Exhausted from fleeing through the woods, Hyakkimaru fell into a deep sleep.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 199]]>><</button>></center>
"Hyakkimaru... Hyakkimaru... You will encounter forty-eight demons. You must defeat them, Hyakkimaru. If you do, the missing forty-eight pieces of your body will return to you."
"What? Wait, where are you going? Stop!" Hyakkimaru awoke from dreaming. He was still in the mountain forest; there was a stream nearby. It was full night in the woods, and all was still.
"Oh." Hyakkimaru sat up. "I remember." He was cold all over. The mountain air chilled him to his bones, but it also helped to clear his mind. He struggled to his feet and started walking up the mountain slope.
A waxing crescent moon rose above Hyakkimaru as he traveled. Hyakkimaru found a narrow path and followed it forward, one step at a time. He came to a crossroads and discovered a temple along the side of the path.
Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis was as powerful as it had ever been. He was used to relying on his mind and senses instead of his artificial body. <i>I'm still alive. As for the rest, I'll leave it in the Buddha's hands,</i> he thought.
The temple that Hyakkimaru found was abandoned, and had been for quite some time. Hyakkimaru sat cross-legged in the center of the main hall and meditated. Moonlight spilled over his shoulders through a hole in the roof.
Hyakkimaru prayed with the full strength of his heart and soul behind it.
<i>Tell me, mysterious spirit that I met at that wayside shrine: what am I supposed to do? I've encountered several demons, but defeating them has not returned my body to me. And there are so many more demons out there... I wish I could meet you again, but I don't know if that's possible. All I want is to live as a human being. How can I do that?</i>
The night passed quietly as Hyakkimaru sat and meditated.
<center><<button[[Continue.->End: Enlightenment]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Playing the credits now will reset your Achievements. You will lose all progress.
<center><<button[[I understand, show me the credits.->Credits]]>><</button>></center>
To retain your Achievements, select <b>Return</b> below to go back to the previous screen. Starting a new adventure from there will keep all your progress.
<center><<return>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The ominous silence persisted. Hyakkimaru left the cool shade of a tall cedar, glanced back in the direction he'd come from, and then kept walking.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 283]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio forest play>><i>I can't travel with Dororo. It's not safe for him. It's not even safe for me.</i>
He paused to make sure Dororo wasn't following him. He couldn't sense Dororo anywhere nearby. He smiled to himself. <i>That kid's smarter than I gave him credit for. I guess he understood me after all.</i>
As the sun set, Hyakkimaru left the beaten path and started traveling through the forest. It was time to find a place to sleep for the night.
Hyakkimaru came to the edge of a shallow forest lake and stood still.
<img src="Images/CheckA.png">
<center><<if $A is "a">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 251]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $A is "A">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 265]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[A is checked.->Scene 251]]>><</button>>
<<button[[A is not checked.->Scene 265]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo!" Hyakkimaru was stunned. True, Dororo was just a thief, but he was also a child, and Hyakkimaru wasn't about to forgive the demon for devouring him.
"Come and get me, you piece of shit!"
The monstrous giant spread its huge, slimy body over the entire length of the bridge. It wanted to swallow Hyakkimaru whole. It contracted its body inward to trap Hyakkimaru inside.
Step by step, Hyakkimaru retreated from the bridge. The monster reached out to trap him. Hyakkimaru jumped feet-first into the river below before he could be caught.
Thinking and moving quickly, Hyakkimaru swam over to the bridge, approaching it from below. He used the sword embedded in his left arm to cut through the girders supporting the bridge. First one, then two, then more girders fell in pieces into the river below. His agility and speed were a sight to behold as he dismantled the bridge bit by slow bit.
The monstrous giant writhed atop the bridge, searching fruitlessly for its prey as the bridge it rested on fell to pieces beneath it.
The bridge could no longer bear the weight of the monstrous giant and commenced its collapse. The monstrous giant briefly lost control of its liquid-like body as the support it relied on vanished all at once. Broken girders and splinters of bridge pierced the monstrous giant as it fell.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 156]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>The current of the river returned to normal, washing the destroyed bridge and the mess that remained of the monster away. Nature came to life again: birds chirped and insects susurrated in the grass. Hyakkimaru stood still.
Faint music echoed across the water. There was a person playing a biwa on the river shore, standing across from Hyakkimaru.
"Who is that?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Surely it's not the same monk as before?"
"It is indeed," the old monk said. "My name is Semimaru, not that you asked."
"Why are you here?"
"That vengeful spirit you fought is not yet slain. It will return to haunt you in the future."
Hyakkimaru said nothing.
"The river will carry the garbage and the sludge away. All will return to how it was here. Even so, the way you're going--there is no way back."
"All I can do is continue forward. Spirits and demons are always hunting me."
"So all you can do is run from them?" Semimaru asked.
"I don't run from them, I destroy them."
"It is not within your power to destroy them as you are now."
"What?"
"You looked on and did nothing as Dororo--that child--was killed. If you truly possessed the power to destroy the spirit, why did you not do so before it stole an innocent life and fled from you?"
The monk's words cut Hyakkimaru to the heart. <i>If only I had helped Dororo when I had the chance... back when he was being beaten. I could have done something.</i> He was tormented by his conscience.
"What can I do? I can't change what happened."
"Do what you will," Semimaru said. "I don't make a habit of telling young hotheads what to do. You must choose your own path."
<center><<button[[Try to fix this.->Scene 188]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[There are demons ahead, and demons behind. Continue forward alone.->Scene 32]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Haste always led to mistakes. Hyakkimaru was still young and had a long life ahead of him, provided he made the right choices.
Hyakkimaru decided to travel back to the beginning of his journey. This time, he would be more careful and deliberate in his choices. That was the way to reach his goal.
Thus resolved, Hyakkimaru turned back to the road he'd come from and traveled it in reverse. He was going back to the very start, before any mistakes were made. This time, he would find a better path.
<<if $haste is false>><<set $haste to true>><<set $kind=$kind+1>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-7.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - No So Fast<br> for rushing to get to the good part and making bad choices. <br>Good things come to those who wait--and those who think.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Find a better path.->Scene 1: Hyakkimaru Walks Across a Battlefield]]>><</button>></center><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>>The blind monk lowered the instrument to the ground before him and played a quiet melody.
"The wind blows to the east, and it rains in the west. If the fickle wind carries my scent, it will sneak up behind me..."
Hyakkimaru considered the monk's words. Whether he went east or west didn't matter: it wouldn't change his destiny. <i>I don't know what demons and monsters await me on the path ahead, but I'll never know unless I start walking,</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
Hyakkimaru left the monk behind. He got on the road leading away from the river and didn't look back. The monk listened to his footsteps with a deep ache of sadness in his heart.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 136]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The sun set on the western road. Hyakkimaru traveled by day and rested in the evening. It was about time for him to look for a good place to camp for the night. His journey was an endless one. After sleeping tonight, all he had to look forward to was more traveling tomorrow.
<i>Where are the forty-eight demons I was told about?</i> Hyakkimaru asked himself. <i>I haven't found a single one.</i>
There were times when Hyakkimaru felt like a demon, himself. His body wasn't human, and he was painfully aware of that fact. All he wanted was to have a normal human body, just like everyone else.
He was walking through a swampy area when he saw a small hut on the side of the road. A kindly old woman sat just outside it, placid and calm. She invited Hyakkimaru inside for a meal, speaking politely all the while.
"You must be so tired," the old woman said. "I've heated up some rice wine for you to drink. It should help you feel reinvigorated and refreshed. Let's have a drink together, and then you can get some rest."
"Thank you," Hyakkimaru said.
Having eaten his fill of yam gruel, Hyakkimaru fell into a deep, contented sleep. He awoke in the middle of the night, feeling odd and heavy-limbed.
"Ah!"
The old woman stood in front of him, her scythe raised to slash him in the head. Her hair was wild and long. Her mouth stretched from ear to ear in a sickening grin. Two horns sprouted from her forehead.
The old woman was a demon in disguise!
Hyakkimaru scrambled back from her, avoiding the scythe.
"I should have guessed that poison in the rice wine wouldn't work on you," the old-woman-turned-demon said.
Hyakkimaru readied his right sword arm for battle, keeping his attention fixed on the demon.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 207]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru smiled grimly. "One of the benefits of not having a human body. I'm immune to your poisons, demon."
"I'll just chop you into little pieces, then. I'm sure you're not immune to that."
The demon woman raised her scythe and attacked Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru dodged, all the while looking for opportunities to attack.
<i>This demon is strong,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. <i>If I can defeat it, maybe I'll get a piece of my body back!</i>
A folding screen flipped over during the battle and caught fire in the hearth. Smoke filled the small hut, intensifying the battle.
Hyakkimaru sent one of his sword arms flying at the demon woman. Her two horns flew off her head and deflected the sword in midair before they could strike. The horns redirected the sword to turn and attack Hyakkimaru instead.
"Damn it!"
Hyakkimaru dodged, then thrust his other sword at the demon woman, who blocked it with her scythe. The sword fell out of its socket and fell to the ground.
Having lost both of his swords, Hyakkimaru was briefly at a loss for what to do. The building was on fire and coming down around him and the demon woman as they fought.
Then the roof collapsed, pinning Hyakkimaru under burning rubble. Hyakkimaru struggled and managed to get free. He didn't pause to search for the demon: he ran.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 175]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru reached for Dororo's shoulders with both hands, very lightly.
Dororo laughed involuntarily. "What are you tryin' to do, tickle me?"
"You feel warm... Dororo, try touching my skin." He pulled his sleeve to the side, revealing his own bare shoulder.
"Like this?" Dororo asked, touching his shoulder. "It's cold!"
"Your body is flesh and blood and bones. Mine is different. I'm as cold and empty as a dead tree rotting from the inside. I might as well be a corpse. That's why demons and monsters follow me."
"But why? You're really strong, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! You've got that sword in your arm!"
"Training with a sword doesn't mean that monsters won't attack me," Hyakkimaru said. "If you come with me, you'll die. Do you understand?"
Dororo was briefly speechless.
"If you understand, please don't follow me again. Let this be goodbye."
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, wait a second! I know what this is: you're tryin' to scare me or trick me so I'll forget all about that sword I'm after! Well, it won't work. I'm not the world's greatest thief for nothing."
"You're still going on about my sword?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Well, if you're going to follow me, then you're going to follow me. Don't say I didn't warn you." Then he ran like the wind away from Dororo. He was so fast that the wind picked up behind him and formed a gale. In moments, he was out of sight.
Dororo looked on in amazement.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 50]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center>
<<if $battle > "10000">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "10000">><img src="Images/win.png"><<else>><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle < "10000">>You Lose!<</if>><<if $battle < "10000">><<audio fail play>><</if>></center>
<center>Wins and losses have different story consequences and lead to different paths.</center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the rules. ->Rules]]>><</button>>
<<button[[See my Adventure Card. ->Adventure Card Explain]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A large cat glared at Hyakkimaru on the forest path ahead, eyes shining brightly. An evil spirit possessed it, making its movements look strange and alien.
<i>A demon is possessing a dead cat,</i> Hyakkimaru realized. The presence of a demon here shook his usual equilibrium. He hadn't been expecting an attack. He bared his right sword arm to defend himself.
With a wild cry, the demon-possessed cat sprang up into a tree. From above, the cat prepared to pounce onto Hyakkimaru's head, claws extended and eyes burning with hate.
"Oh, so that's your plan?" Hyakkimaru asked, glaring up at the cat. He sent his right sword flying at the cat using psychokinesis. Before the blade could pierce the monster, the cat jumped nimbly to the branch of another tree. The right sword embedded itself in the tree's trunk and would be hard to remove. Hyakkimaru considered using his left sword to attack the cat as well, but he knew that if it dodged again, he would be left weaponless.
Then Hyakkimaru had an idea. Reaching into his pocket, he found the shuriken that he'd picked up during an earlier battle. With a shout to focus the cat's attention, he threw three shuriken at the demon lurking above him.
As the cat jumped to avoid the shuriken, Hyakkimaru sent his left sword flying. Before it could land on a new branch, Hyakkimaru's sword chopped the demon's head off. The head fell on the ground and rolled. The shuriken landed in the shallow lake.
The cat kept grinning at Hyakkimaru for awhile until the light in its eyes faded and went out.
Hyakkimaru's breathing was ragged from his exertions. From across the lake, he heard the faint sound of a biwa playing.
Decrease Hyakkimaru's Attack Power by 3.
<<set $attack_power_h to $attack_power_h - 3>>
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 251]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>The old monk sat at the edge of the lake, playing his biwa.
Hyakkimaru followed the shore until he was standing near the monk. "Tell me," Hyakkimaru said, "if you know: will I actually be able to achieve my goal? Or will I stay like this forever?"
The old monk stopped playing and considered. "All you think about is killing."
"It's for a purpose," Hyakkimaru said.
"That doesn't matter. You are a young fool," the priest said sternly.
"Why?" Hyakkimaru asked, flinching at the man's tone.
"What I say never reaches the meat between your ears. Even if you slay every demon that crosses your path, you will not become human."
"What does it mean, becoming human?"
"It means what it means. What lurks in the human heart is far more terrifying than any demon."
Hyakkimaru didn't know what to say to that.
"You will learn just how horrible humans can be." The old monk stood up, settling his biwa over his shoulder. "You can slay the demons. Your body will be human, then. But you still will not be human, not entirely. There will come a time when you must fight humans--humans more powerful than you, even."
<i>Who will I have to fight?</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
"Come with me," the old monk said. He walked away.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 137]]>><</button>></center>
The old monk led Hyakkimaru to the edge of the forest. In the gathering darkness, the forest path split into three directions. The monk gestured to the three paths. "Is it still your goal to become human?" he asked.
"Yes. Otherwise, I'll never be accepted in the world. I'm a monster."
"I see that your resolve is strong. If this is truly what you desire, then prepare yourself for what lies ahead."
"How should I prepare?"
"Three paths diverge here. Each of them represents a different way of life. The one you choose will determine what kind of person you become."
Hyakkimaru considered the three paths. "They all look the same."
"You will understand the path better when you travel it. Choose carefully. Let your mind and heart guide your steps. All else depends on luck, and your own destiny. The path on the left is the Path of Heaven. The path on the right is the Path of Earth. And the path in the middle is the Path of Humanity."
Hyakkimaru made his decision in a calm state of mind.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses the left path.->Scene 151]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses the right path.->Scene 116]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses the middle path.->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio woodwalking play>>Hyakkimaru walked down a wide path lined with cedar trees. The trees grew so thickly that there were few gaps between. Shadowed by so many trees, it was difficult to see where the path was heading.
Because of the darkness, the figure standing in the middle of the path was almost invisible until Hyakkimaru was standing practically right on top of it. Hyakkimaru stopped just shy of bumping into the figure and took it in with his senses.
The figure was an ape of enormous size. The sense of threat emanating from it made Hyakkimaru wary. As he stared, the ape stared back, its eyes glowing around the edges.
Hyakkimaru sensed another presence lurking in the concealment of the trees.
<center><<button[[Continue. ->Scene 78]]>><</button>></center> <<audio ":all" stop>>As Hyakkimaru stepped onto the path, the sunlight faded; it was nearly night. Dororo followed after him as they passed through a grassy field. Neither knew where they were, so they asked the wind for directions and followed the inclination of their own feet. It seemed like Dororo had decided to follow Hyakkimaru wherever he went.
As the wind rustled ears of ripening wild grain, Hyakkimaru paused in mid-step and stood very still.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 95]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio wind play loop>>The sun was about to set as Hyakkimaru and Dororo walked down the path. The evening wind blew through tall grass on either side of the narrow path. The wind fought them hard, as if it knew that Hyakkimaru had chosen this path and was determined to stop him. Hyakkimaru's hair came loose and blew into his eyes.
Steeling his resolve, Hyakkimaru walked against the wind, with Dororo walking doggedly behind him.
<img src="Images/CheckZ.png">
<center><<if $Z is "z">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 31]]>><</button>><</if>></center><center><<if $Z is "Z">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 300]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[Z is checked.->Scene 31]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Z is not checked.->Scene 300]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>
Hyakkimaru ran until he was exhausted. When he paused to look around, Dororo was nowhere to be seen. Hyakkimaru grinned. <i>Seems he can't beat my speed,</i> he thought. He washed his face in a small pond and sat down to rest.
It was quiet. Wind rustled the leaves of the trees overhead, but otherwise there was no other sound. The disturbing quiet perturbed Hyakkimaru.
<i>Dororo did come after me... didn't he?</i>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru gets worried and runs back to where he came from.->Scene 165]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Who cares about Dororo? Hyakkimaru travels alone.->Scene 179]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<audio ":all" stop>><<set $main_menu is true>><<set $passageheader to false>><div id="menu-1"><<link "NEW GAME" "Start">><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><<link "LOAD SAVE">><<run UI.saves()>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><<link "SETTINGS">><<run UI.settings()>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><<if settings.achievements>><<link "ACHIEVEMENTS">><<script>>Dialog.setup("☆Achievements");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("☆Achievements").processText());Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><</if>><img src="Images/deco.png"><<link "ADVENTURE CARD">><<script>>Dialog.setup("★Adventure Card");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("★Adventure Card").processText());Dialog.open()<</script>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><<if $end is true>><<link "NEW GAME+">><<script>>Dialog.setup("New Game +");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("New Game +").processText());Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><</if>><<if $party is true>><<link "PARTY">><<script>>Dialog.setup("Party Screen");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Party Screen").processText());Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><</if>><<if $endings_gallery is true>><<link "GALLERY">><<script>>Dialog.setup("Endings Gallery");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Endings Gallery").processText());Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><img src="Images/deco.png"><</if>><<if $main_menu is false>><<link "MAIN MENU">><<script>>Dialog.setup("Main Menu");Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Main Menu").processText());Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><</if>></div></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru didn't actually think he'd managed to scare Dororo away, but that was exactly what had happened. He was worried about leaving Dororo behind in such close proximity to a demon.
<i>I hope he just runs slow,</i> Hyakkimaru thought as he retraced his steps. He ran as fast as he could back to where he'd seen Dororo last.
Check <b>F</b> on your Adventure Card.
<<set $F="f">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 283]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The enormous ape remained sitting in the center of the path, staring at Dororo.
"You're pretty unfriendly for a monkey," Dororo said. "Can't you talk?" He picked up a cedar branch from the road.
<img src="Images/Dororo vs Ape.png">
The enormous ape's eyes glowed like hot coals. If it decided to attack, Dororo would not survive the encounter.
"Hmph," Dororo said. "You think you're so tough? Why don't you fight me?!" He came closer to the ape without so much as a hint of fear.
<img src="Images/CheckF.png">
<center><<if $F is "f">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 120]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $F is "F">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 8: Dororo Fights the Enormous Ape]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: F is checked.->Scene 120]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: F is not checked.->Scene 8: Dororo Fights the Enormous Ape]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru ran so fast that he winded himself. When he finally got through the thick wall of cedar trees and got back to the forest path, he was amazed to see Dororo standing in front of the enormous demon-possessed ape, stick held aloft as if to strike.
Just before Dororo struck the demon, Hyakkimaru knocked him to the side.
"You idiot! I told you, this is no ordinary ape! It's a demon!"
Check <b>G</b> on your Adventure Card.
<<set $G="g">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 190]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
Dororo lobbed his stick at the enormous ape's head with a loud cry of battle.
The strike connected, but the enormous ape didn't react. It was possessed by a demon, after all. As Dororo tried to land more blows, it avoided the stick easily, seeming amused. As Dororo lunged, the enormous ape leaped to the side, and Dororo's momentum was so great that he fell to the ground. His hands went numb from the force of the impact.
Dororo got up and dusted himself off. "You've really done it this time, guy! Now I'm angry! Don't make light of me! I'm your opponent!" He attacked with his bare hands, but was soundly rebuffed. It was as if there was a protective barrier around the ape. When Dororo touched that barrier, he was propelled away, practically flying for a few moments until he came to a crashing halt against the trunk of a tall tree.
<i>Dororo does battle with the enormous ape. Dororo is fighting alone, so the battle calculation is as follows:
(Dororo's Attack Power + Dororo's Defensive Power) x Dororo's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><<button[[Battle with Ape - Random Number]]>><</button>><br><br></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Battle with Ape - Use 3]]>><</button>><br><br></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 51]]>><</button>></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 230]]>><</button>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle14 > "180">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle14 > "180">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle14 < "180">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle14 < "180">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle14 > "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 51]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle14 < "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 230]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo struggled to regain his feet. He'd been hit awfully hard. "It seems we are evenly matched, you fiend," he said. "Come, then. Let us make this a battle to remember. A battle where Lord Dororo wipes you off the face of the earth!"
He was about to run at the enormous ape when his foe opened its mouth and spewed out fire.
Dororo reacted just in time and ducked behind a thick old tree so that he wouldn't catch fire. He blinked. "Oh. So you really are a demon after all."
Decrease Dororo's defensive power by 2.
<<set $defense_power_d to $defense_power_d - 2>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 288]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo groaned in pain, but he finally managed to get on his feet. "You're the worst kind of thing, y'know that? Don't make fun of me with a hit like that! If you're gonna hit me, hit me!"
Dororo was seriously angry. He gripped his stick tightly and wobbled his way back over to the enormous ape.
The enormous ape plucked a few hairs from its head and blew them away. In the blink of an eye, each hair transformed into a perfect copy of the enormous ape. The ape and its copies surrounded Dororo. In one hand, the real demon raised a wicked-looking scythe. This ape might have possessed some distant relation to<br> <span class='tooltip'>Son Goku<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Son Goku is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama. He is based on Sun Wukong (known as Son Goku in Japan and Monkey King in the West), a main character of the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, combined with influences from the Hong Kong action cinema of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.</i></span></span>.
Dororo trembled in fear. Hyakkimaru had been right about everything.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..."
He never said another word.
The enormous ape and its copies ripped Dororo to pieces in seconds. The ground was soaked with Dororo's blood.
Then it was over. The enormous ape recalled its copies, and they became strands of hair again. As the hair blew away, the enormous ape licked Dororo's blood off its scythe.
The enormous ape twisted and changed, assuming Dororo's shape. It looked just the same as Dororo had been when he was alive.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 79]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo ran.
"Help!" he called out. "Please help me!"
He was chasing after Hyakkimaru, though Hyakkimaru had quite a head start.
The enormous ape watched Dororo flee with marked interest. When Dororo was out of sight, the enormous ape vanished from view like a hole in the world.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 205]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo sprinted down the path, yelling, "Aniki! Aniki!" He shouted as loud as he possibly could, but he saw no sign of Hyakkimaru anywhere around.
The sun was setting. When Dororo regained the presence of mind to look around, he realized that the enormous ape wasn't following after him. Dororo calmed down then. He stopped running and continued traveling at a slow walking pace.
He was passing by a bamboo grove when a black shape blurred past him. Dororo ducked and flinched reflexively, believing that the enormous ape had found him again.
There was a low chuckle. Hyakkimaru's chuckle. "You are <i>way</i> too easy to scare," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo smiled at him through tears of fright. "Oh, aniki, thank goodness. You were right, that monkey really was a demon! If I'd stayed there with it any longer, I'd be toast!"
Hyakkimaru's expression became serious. "You didn't attack it, did you?"
"I thought it was just a monkey, so I smacked it with a stick to get it to behave. It didn't work."
Hyakkimaru used his psychokinetic senses to search their surroundings for danger. "It's coming. Probably because you attacked it. Don't do that next time."
Dororo, still afraid from his fight with the demon, hid behind Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru's nameless sword shone in the light of the setting sun. Like a being formed of bloody light, the enormous ape melted out of the trees and into the clearing where Dororo and Hyakkimaru stood.
"There it is," Hyakkimaru said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 190]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><i>Can I win a fight against this man?</i> Hyakkimaru asked himself. <i>His sword is possessed by a demon.</i> For the first time in a long time, Hyakkimaru felt genuine fear. This would be a battle to the death. Only one of them would walk away from it.
Seeing Hyakkimaru hesitate prompted Dororo to find his courage.
"All that fancy talk is stuff and nonsense, isn't it? You're one of those samurai who goes around killing innocent people in the street for fun."
The warrior glared at Dororo. "I am a tool, serving my master as tools do. <span class='tooltip'>Nihil<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Nihil (Japanese: 丹蛭) Nihil means ‘crimson leech;’ the red described is the same color as red earth. It is the name of a demon-possessed sword carried by Tanosuke.</i></span></span> desires your blood, and I shall satisfy it." His sword trembled in his hand like a living thing in the throes of excitement.
Dororo took this in with an expression of horror.
"Now, now," the warrior said to the sword to soothe it. "I'll give you what you crave very soon."
Hyakkimaru squared his shoulders, then drew the sword at his hip. He was ready to attack at any time. The warrior pointed his sword at Hyakkimaru with one hand. A murderous force shot out of the demon-possessed sword and struck Hyakkimaru like a bolt of lightning.
A long, tense silence passed as Hyakkimaru and the warrior faced each other down.
Dororo thought this was boring. Why were they just staring like that?
The tension between Hyakkimaru and the warrior was solid enough to cut with a knife. Once they attacked, they had to commit. Only one could survive.
<img src="Images/Tanosuke fights Hyakkimaru.png">
By some unspoken agreement or battle sense, Hyakkimaru and the warrior attacked one another at the same time. As they passed each other, Hyakkimaru slashed at a vital area, using deadly force. The warrior's sword caught the blow, cross-cutting down as the man fumed with anger.
Another pass, and another as Hyakkimaru and the warrior ran at each other, struck and were repulsed by the other's defenses. This gruesome dance continued for a minute or so, and Dororo found it hard to follow. All he could see was the blur of their movements and the shine of sunlight on their swords.
And then, it was over.
Hyakkimaru and the warrior stood back-to-back for a moment, swords drawn. Then Hyakkimaru staggered, falling to his knees.
Dororo rushed over to him.
The warrior was still standing with his back to Hyakkimaru, completely motionless.
Hyakkimaru used one of his sword arms for leverage and got back on his feet. "He lost," he said quietly.
"What?" Dororo asked.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 178]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru leveled his right sword arm at the demon-possessed ape. The demon's entire body was a mass of living flame. As it lunged at Hyakkimaru, Hyakkimaru crossed both sword arms in front of him and caught the blow against the demon's sharp claws. He pushed back, putting some space between himself and the demon.
As the battle commenced, Dororo crouched low to the ground and crept away.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 267]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The ape, always enormous, now grew to gargantuan size. It was taller than the forest's trees by a full head. This was the first time Dororo truly feared this demon, because it seemed too big for Hyakkimaru to defeat, never mind himself.
If Hyakkimaru weren't there, he might just give up and bow to the demon's power and will, even if it meant his death.
The ape's sharp foreclaws dug into the earth. Hyakkimaru observed it pulling up a large glob of earth and seized the opportunity. The demon-possessed ape was preparing a massive attack, but that attack was slow. He still had time. He launched his swords arms from his shoulders using psychokinesis, one sword aiming for each eye.
The enormous ape screamed in pain and crashed heavily into the ground. Hyakkimaru approached, unhurriedly, and pulled his swords out of the demon's eyes with psychokinesis. "You lose, demon," he said. "Die."
Hyakkimaru chopped off the demon's head.
And that was the end of the enormous ape.
<<if $ape is false>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $ape to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-8.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Monkey Business<br> for slaying an enormous ape that was possessed by a demon.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 121]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The mountain roads along the province border were steep, treacherous and winding; it was very easy to get lost. The trees thinned as Dororo and Hyakkimaru approached a mountain pass, giving way to stony soil.
Hyakkimaru walked in silence, navigating the steep incline. Dororo followed behind him, humming a little.
<i>Can I really get back my human body?</i> Hyakkimaru asked himself, remembering the words of the voice he'd heard at the wayside shrine.
<i>"Hyakkimaru... Hyakkimaru... You will encounter forty-eight demons. You must defeat them, Hyakkimaru. If you do, the missing forty-eight pieces of your body will return to you."</i>
<i>What happened to my body? Why do I have to get it back?</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru reached the mountain pass.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 22]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Below the pass, there was a small village.
Dororo climbed on top of a giant rock and let out a shout. "We can get whatever we want to eat in that village! Let's go, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!"
Sometimes it seemed like all that Dororo could think about was food. He started walking faster than Hyakkimaru in anticipation of getting a proper meal.
They passed alongside a large stone that sat at the edge of a cliff.
"Wait," a voice intoned from the stone. "Before you leave, you must kill me."
Dororo skipped a step, then stopped still.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 52]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo searched for any sign of a person hiding in the shadow of the stone, but he didn't see anyone. There weren't any people nearby. Hyakkimaru hadn't thrown his voice, and the villagers were all in the valley below. And Hyakkimaru sensed no demonic presence in the immediate area.
Hyakkimaru walked calmly toward the stone. "Show yourself to us," he said.
A white shadow emerged from the surface of the stone, solidifying into the shape of a young man with long hair that fell past his shoulders. He looked like a warrior, dressed all in white with a sword in his hand. The place where he stood had the feeling of death. It made sense why there weren't any other people around here, if he had an aura like that.
<img src="Images/Nihil.png">
The warrior looked at Hyakkimaru. "Kill me. If you can."
Hyakkimaru got the feeling that this was no ordinary man.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 149]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo understood that the man was not a demon or a monster, but he didn't trust him. The man was terrifying and looked murderous, even if he wasn't outright evil.
Hyakkimaru and the warrior regarded one another for a few moments. Wind swept over the mountain pass.
"We've never met before," Hyakkimaru said.
"No, we have not." The warrior's voice was cold and emotionless.
"I have no anger or hatred toward you."
"Nor I you."
"Then why should we fight?"
"I asked you to kill me."
Hyakkimaru said nothing in reply. Only demons would take a person's life so casually, without any reason for it. But this man was obviously a human, for all his strangeness. He was a person who wanted to be killed for no reason--or he wanted to kill other people for no reason. It didn't make any sense.
"Why ask me to kill you? Why not ask someone else?" Hyakkimaru asked.
The man gave him a cold smile. "I am not the one who asks. Only the mouthpiece."
A flare of demonic energy and murderous intent pulsed from the sword the man carried. The energy was so cold and dead that it stunned Hyakkimaru for a moment.
<i>That sword is terrifying.</i>
The naked blade shone around the edges with a corona the color of winter sunlight.
"This sword is <span class='tooltip'>Nihil<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Nihil (Japanese: 丹蛭) Nihil means ‘crimson leech;’ the red described is the same color as red earth. It is the name of a demon-possessed sword carried by Tanosuke.</i></span></span>," the man said. "It demands your blood." The warrior leveled <span class='tooltip'>Nihil<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Nihil (Japanese: 丹蛭) Nihil means ‘crimson leech;’ the red described is the same color as red earth. It is the name of a demon-possessed sword carried by Tanosuke.</i></span></span> at Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 306]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki?<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> What's wrong?" Dororo asked.
"A demon," Hyakkimaru said. "I can sense its energy."
Dororo looked around, but didn't see anything.
Two shadows appeared in the sky above, looking like twin smudges in a cloud of fog. The smudges descended to the ground, taking shape.
One smudge assumed the form of a Buddhist nun. Her emaciated frame was covered by a typical uniform. The prayer staff she carried was taller than she was. All her visible skin was blackened by soot and grime. Her long hair uncoiled to her waist, also soot-darkened. There was a deep sadness in her eyes.
The other smudge solidified into something at once grotesque and profoundly innocent. It had a child's face, but a huge misshapen head that was matched by equally malformed limbs. This strange body bulged from a sleeveless garment that nearly covered the figure's toes. Like the nun, this figure was covered in soot.
"Do you want a child?" the nun asked Hyakkimaru. "Please accept this child." She came closer, with the other figure following after her.
<img src="Images/Nun and Child.png">
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 11: A Nun Asks Hyakkimaru to Accept a Child]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Don't you want a child? Please accept this child," the nun said, repeating her previous request with more insistence.
"I don't need one. I already have a child following me, and have no desire for another," Hyakkimaru said.
"But this child is so unfortunate," the nun said. "Their birth was a struggle. Their growth was a war. Please accept this child."
"I will not. I'm sorry about the child, but I've had too much stolen from me. I have to get it all back, and I can't be burdened with caring for a child."
The nun pleaded with Hyakkimaru in a gesture of supplication. "Don't you want a child? Please accept this child."
Hyakkimaru had already rejected her request, but the hope shining in her eyes made him pause and reconsider.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru agrees to accept the child.->Scene 261]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru refuses to accept the child.->Scene 77]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>By the time Hyakkimaru realized what was happening, it was too late. The nun vanished from sight before he could so much as reconsider, leaving the childlike monster behind. "Wait! You push this responsibility on me and then run away? Why?!"
The nun's laughter echoed all around him.
The childlike monster pressed against Hyakkimaru, making soothing sounds. Though it had the face of a child, the monster was so tall that Hyakkimaru had to strain his neck to look it in the eyes. If the monster came much closer, Hyakkimaru would be crushed beneath its feet.
"Um... Dororo, I'll ask you to take care of this thing, okay?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"What? No way, you gotta be kidding. I refuse!" Dororo said, backing slowly away from the childlike monster. He turned and ran away, quick as a rabbit from a predator.
But the childlike monster was a <i>monster</i>, and that meant it had magic. Dororo didn't make it far before the monster disappeared, reappearing on Dororo's back. The weight made Dororo pitch head-first into the grassy ground.
"Ow! <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, you gotta kill this thing! Get it off me! It's gonna crush me to death!"
"For shame, Dororo. That thing might be monstrous, but it's not evil. The nun entrusted it to us. It would be wrong to go back on my word." He rummaged around in his traveling pack, pulling out a length of rope. "So just keep carrying it for awhile."
"Are you crazy? I <i>can't</i> carry it!"
"It's just a piggyback ride," Hyakkimaru said. "Kids like piggyback rides, right?"
He tied the length of rope around his waist as a belt and encouraged the monster to grab onto it from behind. He used the leverage to carry around the monster for a bit, then set it down and tied the rope around the monster's waist. The monster, delighted, picked up Dororo and carried him piggyback-style.
The childlike monster was tall and didn't tire, so Dororo and Hyakkimaru traveled faster than usual, leaving the field of wild grain behind just as the sun began to set. They got on a narrow road and started thinking about camping for the night.
<<if $foster is false>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><<set $foster to true>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-10.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Foster Parent<br> for agreeing to adopt a monster.<br>At least the monster is kinda cute.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru camp here.->Scene 287]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru look for a different place to stay the night.->Scene 148]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I won't! I have no time to look after a demon-possessed child like that one," Hyakkimaru said. "Just give up and leave me alone."
Hyakkimaru's flat rejection prompted a response from the nun. She looked away, stunned, as if he'd slapped her. With an expression of pain, she took the childlike figure by the hand and disappeared.
"Yikes. I was wondering when they were going to attack," Dororo said. He appeared openly relieved.
It was nearly sunset. Dororo and Hyakkimaru walked faster as they looked for a good place to camp. The grassy field they found themselves in was endlessly vast and never seemed to end no matter how far they walked.
When it was full dark, they came across an unfamiliar road. Following it, they came to a sheltered place with three tall cedar trees. On the other side of the trees, there was a vast estate wreathed in evening mist.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 53]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The sun dipped close to the horizon. Hyakkimaru wanted to reach a village before nightfall, but there were no villages nearby.
<i>I wonder where Dororo got to,</i> he thought. While traveling with him, Hyakkimaru had been annoyed by Dororo, but now that he was absent, Hyakkimaru missed him. Hyakkimaru regretted not going back when he had the chance to, but turning around now wouldn't help anyone.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo called out to him from behind.
Hyakkimaru glanced back, surprised.
Dororo was running toward him.
Hyakkimaru smiled. "Hah! So you made it back to me after all, Dororo."
"I did! How dare you run away like that all of a sudden. So rude," Dororo said, pouting. His voice was the same as it had always been.
<<if $tricked is false>><<set $tricked to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-9.png"><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<audio failfare play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Decieved<br> for failing to recognize that a demon was wearing your friend.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 317]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play loop>>Dororo looked up at Hyakkimaru, grinning from ear to ear. He kept pace with Hyakkimaru as they walked. "Y'know, I was sure you'd be lonely if I wasn't here with you."
"Me, lonely? I think you're talking about yourself," Hyakkimaru said.
They walked side by side for awhile. On any ordinary day, Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic senses would have told him that Dororo was not what he appeared to be. But Hyakkimaru had spent much of the day missing Dororo, and now that he'd returned, he didn't question it. He didn't look deeper than the surface because he didn't want to know what lurked beneath it.
"You saw that giant ape that was possessed by a demon, right?" Hyakkimaru asked. "How did you get away from it?"
"Oh, that was easy. I just glared at him as hard as I could, and it curled its tail up and disappeared!"
Those words restored Hyakkimaru to his senses, because they were so impossible. "You... glared at it. And it vanished."
Suddenly, Dororo jumped back. His eyes glowed with demonic fire.
"You bastard!" Hyakkimaru moved to attack with his swords, but the demon engulfed him in fire before he could make a single slash. His clothes caught fire, and his artificial body burned or melted as the fire covered it completely.
"Ugh..." Hyakkimaru collapsed to the ground. He looked up and saw Dororo change into the enormous ape.
The fire kept burning until Hyakkimaru was reduced to ashes. They blew away on the wind.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited1 is false>><<set $visited1 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>><<set $passageheader is true>><center>Welcome to New Game+.
The end of the base game isn't the end of the story. This add-on takes the tale all the way to one of ten unique endings. Endings are determined by playstyle (Achievements) and the choices that make up Hyakkimaru and Dororo's personalities.
New Game+ routes are heavily based on three historical novels written by Toriumi Jinzō, the co-author of the base game. Scenes are often longer than in the base game, and choices have greater significance.
The most important factor in determining the ending of the game is traits. Traits are gained through Achievements, with each achievement adding a certain number of points to unlock a trait. The three traits are:
<img src="Images/Brutal.png">
BRUTAL: The Brutal trait gives Hyakkimaru a new ally, Genkai Namitarou. He is a pirate with smuggling connections and detailed knowledge of weaponry. Selecting a BRUTAL path will give Hyakkimaru more weapon options and a standing army of pirates at important parts of the game.
<img src="Images/Pragmatic.png">
PRAGMATIC: The Pragmatic trait gives Dororo a new ally, Ochika (Oujiya). Ochika is Dororo's mother, whom Dororo thought dead. As a bandit leader, Ochika has access to a standing army (cavalry) and intelligence on the armies and fortresses in the area. Selecting a PRAGMATIC path will give Hyakkimaru more opportunities to investigate a situation before he acts, and will give him more social checks based on the information he learns. Ochika will accompany Dororo at certain important parts of the game, with the potential to change their outcome.
<img src="Images/Kind.png">
KIND: The Kind trait gives Hyakkimaru a new ally, Jukai. Jukai is the doctor who raised him and made his artificial body. Selecting a KIND path will give Hyakkimaru access to medicine and repairs, and will give him more social checks to prevent or circumvent hostile encounters. Jukai will accompany Hyakkimaru for key events in the game and has the potential to change their outcome.
You have unlocked the following traits:
<<if $brutal > 2>><center><<button[[BRUTAL->Prologue: Brutal Path]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[PRAGMATIC->Prologue: Pragmatic Path]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $kind > 2>><center><<button[[KIND->Prologue: Kind Path]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
Select one of the buttons above to choose a path. If you qualify for multiple traits, select a combined path below. Selecting a combined path will give you all the benefits of each trait path.
<b>Note:</b> Only the path that includes all three traits will result in Hyakkimaru being physically whole at the end, having defeated all the demons.
<table><tbody><tr><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $pragmatic > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[ALL TRAITS->Prologue: All Traits Path]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $pragmatic > 2 >><center><<button[[BRUTAL AND PRAGMATIC->Prologue: Pragmatic and Brutal Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td></tr><tr><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[KIND AND BRUTAL->Prologue: Kind and Brutal Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td><td><<if $pragmatic > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[PRAGMATIC AND KIND->Prologue: Kind and Pragmatic Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td></tr></tbody></table>
If you want to earn more achievements in the base game to unlock more traits first, select <b>Start a New Adventure</b> below. You will keep all your current achievements and progress toward unlocking traits.
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure.->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
Enjoy your adventure!</center>
<<set $revealbuttons to false>><<audio ":all" stop>>The estate beyond the cedar trees looked like it belonged to a local samurai. The main building was truly massive in scope, dwarfing the surrounding landscape for miles around.
The energy rolling off the estate was disturbing, and strong even at this distance.
"Dororo, I think there's a demon in there. We have to be very careful." He smiled grimly to himself. With Dororo in tow, he approached the gate leading into the estate.
''J'' is checked on your Adventure Card. <<set $J="j">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 12: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Seek Shelter]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"We're humble travelers looking for a place to stay for the night," Hyakkimaru called out when he and Dororo reached the gate. "Is the master of the house at home?" He pitched his voice to carry.
There was no reply for a long while. Then the gate creaked as it opened from the inside, the doors pushing slowly outward.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 80]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A servant met Dororo and Hyakkimaru at the gate of the estate. As they passed through the gate, the servant informed Hyakkimaru that the master of the house was a samurai, just as Hyakkimaru had guessed. His name was Sabame. Because of the three cedar trees just outside, the locals nicknamed the estate Sabame's Cedar Mansion.
The servant led Hyakkimaru and Dororo down a long hallway and into an interior room. Hyakkimaru sensed something odd and stopped walking.
"Is something wrong?" the servant asked him.
"No, nothing," Hyakkimaru said. He followed the servant again, appearing entirely calm. Dororo gave him an odd look, then kept walking.
A swirl of demonic energy appeared around a white-walled storehouse on the outskirts of the estate. No one but Hyakkimaru seemed to notice.
The servant ushered Dororo and Hyakkimaru into a room that was used to receive guests. The floor was made of polished wood that reflected the light of many candles.
Sabame was already in the room, wearing his noble's headgear and formal clothing. He sat in the front of the room on a high cushion, marking him as the highest-status person present.
"This is Lord Sabame," the servant said politely when Hyakkimaru and Dororo entered.
"No need for formalities," Sabame said. "Tell me, travelers: do you have any tales from your journeys?"
The man gave Hyakkimaru pause. The aura emanating him felt like violence and terror, vital as a living thing, but Sabame himself had the cold dead eyes of a fish.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 168]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Please sit back and relax! You're my guests!" Sabame said. "Oh! I'm not sure if you'll like this since it's just a humble local wine, but I happen to be partial to it." He offered a cup of rice wine to Hyakkimaru.
A rich feast of sake and fancy food had been laid by two women servants. Sabame complimented each dish and recommended them to Dororo and Hyakkimaru.
"Amazing! I'll have some, too!" Dororo's eyes lit up as he took in the veritable mountain of food.
"Do you always show such hospitality to travelers?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"I like listening to their tales," Sabame said. His eyes were blank and lifeless.
"And your wife doesn't find it irksome to provide so much for your guests?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Why would she?"
"I didn't mean to insult her in any way. I just don't see her here, and I thought it would be polite to offer thanks to her as well."
"Then I must offer my apologies. She is often unwell, and won't be joining us at all tonight," Sabame said.
"Oh. I'm very sorry that your wife is ill."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 185]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyaakimaru and Dororo walked faster along the path, the childlike monster in tow. They came across a temple that had recently burned down. It must have been quite a fire: the main building and all of the smaller surrounding ones were reduced to ash and cinders. All that remained were two soot-darkened white stone walls, now without a roof.
The childlike monster reacted to the sight of the temple. It was like the monster recognized it; it pointed its misshapen limbs at different places in excitement.
"This place has a strange feel to it," Hyakkimaru said. "I think that we should stay here for the night."
"Why? It's just a burned ruin. This isn't a good place to stay," Dororo said.
Hyakkimaru ignored Dororo's complaints about the location and found a place near one intact wall to lay his bedroll down.
The childlike monster also seemed content to stay. It rolled around on the ground in glee, as rotund as a hay bale.
"Tch. I can't believe we're camping in the open air with a monster," Dororo said.
"Quiet." Hyakkimaru hushed Dororo. He sensed that someone else was approaching the temple.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 102]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru, Dororo and the childlike monster hastened down the narrow road. They came to a sheltered place with three tall cedar trees. On the other side of the trees, there was a vast estate wreathed in evening mist.
"Dororo, do you think we might try staying at that estate tonight?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Sure, if you think they'll let us stay."
"I think they will, but... well, there's a terrible spiritual pressure in the air. A demon or a spirit here doesn't want visitors, but there's a detached building for guests just there."
"Now you're trying to make me paranoid. If it's a spirit we're worried about, wouldn't this weird kid-monster we've picked up help us?"
The childlike monster gurgled.
The estate looked like a noble residence. It was protected by a gate that was shut tight for the night. Perhaps a local samurai warrior lived here.
Dororo tugged at Hyakkimaru's sleeve. "Um, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..."
Hyakkimaru turned and looked at Dororo and the childlike monster. He couldn't believe his eyes.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 209]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The childlike monster disappeared as Hyakkimaru watched. The giant head, the child's face, the bulbous limbs: all vanished from existence as if they'd never been there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 12: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Seek Shelter]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio night_forest play>>After they finished their meal, Dororo and Hyakkimaru were guided to their sleeping quarters. Two sets of luxurious nightclothes had been prepared for them, both the right size.
"This is awesome!" Dororo said, rolling around on his futon and folded bedclothes like an excited dog. "I'm glad we came here. We'll sleep well tonight."
"Maybe. As long as you're not worried about being eaten by a monster."
"What? <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, what do you mean? There's no monsters."
"There's some monster or demon here. Sabame knows about it; that's why he let us sleep here. I think he feeds his visitors to the monster."
"Really?"
"It's just a hunch," Hyakkimaru said. "But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some good food and fancy clothes. Just try not to fall asleep."
It was getting late into the night. The chirping and sussurations of insects were the only sounds. Hyakkimaru tensed, sensing something. He stretched, then blew out the oil lamp near his futon, leaving him and Dororo in total darkness.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 54]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..." Dororo whispered.
"Stay quiet. The true owner of this estate is heading for us now," Hyakkimaru said.
"I don't want to be eaten," Dororo wailed.
Hyakkimaru hushed Dororo. "Listen. They're almost here."
Dororo and Hyakkimaru held their breath, listening closely for any sound coming from outside their room.
Footsteps. Faint, then growing louder. They stopped just outside the sliding door. The door slid open, practically silent. A huge black shadow crept into the room, moving toward the futons where Dororo and Hyakkimaru lay.
The shadow stretched over them, landing with a painful thud atop their bodies. Hyakkimaru jerked upright, taking in the dim form of a gigantic fanged caterpillar with beady black eyes.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 311]]>><</button>></center>
"Die, monster!" Hyakkimaru's left sword arm plunged into the giant caterpillar's soft underbelly, splitting it open. The monster let out a wordless scream and fell back, spewing out white threads to cocoon itself as it jumped up and stuck to the ceiling.
"Dororo, light the lamp!" Hyakkimaru called out.
Dororo hurried to light the lamp. In the dim illumination, they took in the sight of the caterpillar monster in more detail. It hissed at their scrutiny. The monster's face was human, or close to it, though it was hard to tell because it was spitting out more white threads from its mouth.
"Well, shit," Hyakkimaru said, sending his left sword up and into the monster's face with a burst of psychokinesis.
The monster screamed and dropped right on top of Hyakkimaru.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! Watch out!" Dororo yelled as a winged figure tore down the room's wooden door and attacked with the force of a whirlwind.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 85]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru had a rough time against the sheer number of demons. More swarmed around him and Dororo by the minute..
Dororo scanned the room, searching for a gap in their attackers. Finding one, he said, "This way, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
Hyakkimaru ran after Dororo. The demons pursued them, trying to strike at them as they ran. There was a large hole leading to a basement level. Dororo jumped down, and Hyakkimaru followed.
When they looked around, they seemed to be in some kind of temple. A huge statue of a demon loomed over them. Its eyes were empty holes.
"Looks like our escape route was that demon's eye, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo said, pointing to the statue's head.
"Yeah," Hyakkimaru said. "We were lucky. I don't think we'll be safe here for long."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 273]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A huge moth bore down on Dororo and Hyakkimaru, shedding scales like powdered snow onto the floor. Then it flew out of the room.
"Be careful, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said. "Don't touch the scales. They're poisonous." He looked at where the moth had flown. "Damn it, we need to catch it right now!"
As Hyakkimaru shook off the scales that had landed on him, the caterpillar monster escaped through the broken door.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 229]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru ran out of their room, chasing after the moth monster. The moth monster flew with great speed into the bamboo forest that bordered the estate.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru followed the monster.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 316]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>All trace of the moth monster vanished as Dororo and Hyakkimaru reached the bamboo forest. They turned back in the direction of the estate.
A white-walled storehouse stood at the edge of the estate. It was close to the bamboo forest. Hyakkimaru considered the situation. "I wonder if the monster hid from us in there."
"What should we do, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo asked.
The walls of the storehouse gleamed pure white in the moonlight.
<center><<button[[Dororo enters the storehouse.->Scene 133]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru enters the storehouse.->Scene 89]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Interrogate Sabame.->Scene 298]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I'm going to go in there," Dororo said, gesturing to the warehouse. "I'll find out what's going on."
He tried the door, but it didn't open.
Before Hyakkimaru could say anything, Dororo shimmied up a bamboo stalk and jumped to the storehouse roof. There was a hole in the roof that Dororo jumped through.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 322]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"All right, I'll take a look inside," Hyakkimaru said.
"Are you sure?" Dororo asked.
"Leave it to me. Monster extermination is my specialty." He tried to open the door of the storehouse, but it was locked and wouldn't open.
Hyakkimaru climbed up a sturdy stalk of growing bamboo and hauled himself up to the storehouse roof with surprising speed and agility. There was a hole in the roof, but it was too small for him to fit through. He battered a few shingles to loosen them and threw them off the roof to enlarge the hole.
Then he slipped through, into the dark unknown of the storehouse.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 163]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo knocked at Sabame's door in the middle of the night. "Hey, excuse me, but please wake up. I have something to ask you." A terrified servant had led them here.
"What's going on?" Sabame asked from the other side of the door. "At this time of night..." He sounded irked from being awakened.
"Let us in."
When there was no immediate response, Hyakkimaru opened the wooden door and stepped into Sabame's bedroom. He saw the back of a woman with long black hair disappear into the next room. She was probably Sabame's wife. Hyakkimaru sat down heavily in front Sabame, who was sitting on the edge of his futon. Dororo sat down quietly behind him.
"Why are you here? What did you need to ask me?" Sabame's face was pale and drawn.
"It's about monsters."
"Monsters?"
"We were attacked by a gigantic caterpillar-like monster in our guest rooms. But just when we thought we had cornered the caterpillar, we were attacked by a moth monster. Why were we attacked? Are your hiding monsters at your estate, Lord Sabame?"
"Of course not," Sabame said. "There are no monsters in my home. I have never seen one. If you want me to believe you, you'll have to show me some proof."
"Oh, so you're trying to play dumb. If you insist that you don't know, that's fine. But I hope you don't have any strange thoughts of using us as food for the monsters. Sorry to wake you."
Hyakkimaru quickly rose from his seat and urged Dororo out.
Then, as if she had been waiting impatiently, the wooden door to the next room slid open, and the lady of the house appeared. She was beautiful. with long black hair and pale skin like porcelain. Her eyes could melt the heart of any man.
For all her beauty, the lady appeared greatly displeased. "My lord, please drive those people out. I can't bear to have them stay here any longer."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 118]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"What's all this?"
Hyakkimaru stepped into the darkened storehouse. With only the moon to light the way, it was difficult for him to tell what, exactly, he was sensing. He picked up an object that he almost tripped over and pulled it into the light.
The thing he'd stepped on was shaped like a person, with a head, limbs, and a torso, but the proportions were wrong--because all of the person's insides were gone. This was a person-shaped bag with all the vital organs removed.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 181]]>><</button>></center>
<span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>Nihil<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Nihil (Japanese: 丹蛭) Nihil means ‘crimson leech;’ the red described is the same color as red earth. It is the name of a demon-possessed sword carried by Tanosuke.</i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>samurai<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Samurai (Japanese: 武士) in this context refers to a noble landowner with martial training.</i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>samurai<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>samurai<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span>
<span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo pretended to be asleep, staying still as statues as two people, a man and a woman, approached the temple. They walked huddled in on themselves, as if they were weary or ashamed.
The man and woman approached what remained of the temple's main hall and knelt where the altar had been before it burned away. The woman placed a small bundle she'd been carrying carefully on the ground. She made a wretched sound like a sob, but quickly composed herself.
"I hope a good person will find him and take him," the man said. He spoke slowly, as if every word was heavy in his throat.
"He's a good child... such a good child. I'm sure whoever finds him will be deserving," the woman said.
The child on the ground made a wordless sound of agitation. He tried to roll out of the blanket swaddling him.
The man gestured to the woman, and they stood up, facing away from the altar. They were about to walk back to where they'd come from when Hyakkimaru called out to them. "Wait."
The couple paused, tensing.
"Why are you leaving that baby here?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Caught in the act of abandoning her child, the woman went to her knees and bowed her face to the dirt in shame, followed closely by the man next to her. The moon broke through the clouds overhead, revealing their faces and the baby they'd left behind. The couple had the look of dispossessed farmers... and the baby was small enough to be a newborn.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 23]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Why are you abandoning your child?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Why leave them here, in this burned-out temple? Why have a child at all if all you were going to do was throw them away?"
"That... we weren't planning to abandon him!" the woman said.
The young father, just as shaken by Hyakkimaru's words as his wife was, drew himself up and gathered enough courage to respond. "I am leaving this poor boy here because I can't feed him. Don't speak as if you know what it's like to abandon a child, young man."
"How do you think your son feels? What will he feel toward you when he grows up?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"We didn't want to leave him like this," the man said. "Up until a week ago, this place was an orphanage. A Buddhist nun named Jishouni took in poor children, raised them and educated them. There were more than fifty children here... It's hard to believe that the fire was just seven days ago. We thought that maybe Jishouni and the children survived, but... well, we still don't know what happened to them."
"I met a Buddhist nun today, and she asked me to accept a child. I think she might have been Jishouni," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo's sudden cry rang out behind Hyakkimaru. "Ah! <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, that kid-monster ran away from me and then it disappeared!"
"What?"
Hyakkimaru ran over to Dororo, who was standing next to a burned wall. There was no sign of the childlike monster anywhere.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 253]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Is there anyone who has a grudge against Jishouni?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"A grudge? Who would? Though it's true that she didn't always get along very well with Lord Sabame," the woman said. She went to pick up her baby, holding him tightly to her chest.
Suddenly, a man called out from the road in front of the temple. He was dressed like a wealthy samurai, adorned as he was in his noble headgear and tailored silk garments.
The young peasant couple went to their knees before the samurai lord. "L-lord Sabame!" The woman still held the baby in her arms.
"I overheard you speaking about Jishouni," Lord Sabame said. "I am well acquainted with her, though I fear she isn't a terribly pious nun. In any case, if you would like to know more about her, travelers, you are welcome to accompany me to my estate. I shall tell you all you wish to know. I would also offer you food and lodging for the night."
Hyakkimaru gave Lord Sabame a silent nod. It was unexpected good luck, getting a free place to stay the night in the village. And Hyakkimaru did want to stay here tonight. The aura emanating from Sabame felt like violence and terror, vital as a living thing, and Sabame himself had the cold dead eyes of a fish. If there <i>wasn't</i> something demonic in this village, Hyakkimaru would be very surprised.
<img src="Images/Sabame.png">
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 37]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo's eyes adjusted to the darkness. Using moonlight as a guide, Dororo took in his surroundings. The floor of the storehouse had an odd light to it, like the dimness at the bottom of a shallow ocean floor.
"Aniki said there were monsters here... is the moth monster here?" Dororo muttered to himself.
Fear of the moth monster made Dororo hesitate, but he made himself take a step forward. His foot landed on something soft. He picked up what he'd stepped on: a wide and heavy object with the texture of untreated leather. "What is this? Do I even want to know?"
Dororo pulled what he'd found closer to the moonlight so he could see it better. It was, like he'd thought, made of some kind of cloth. It was shaped like a person, with a head, limbs, and a torso, but all of the proportions were wrong, and the insides were gone. This was a person-shaped bag with all the vital organs removed.
Dororo stumbled back in revulsion. Looking around, he noticed more human-shaped sacks scattering the warehouse floor, all missing their organs.
Hyakkimaru's agitated voice broke him out of his stunned silence. "Dororo! There's a demon in there! Don't let it catch you!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 202]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 2.</i>
"So that's where you've been hiding! You're quite the curious one," the moth monster said, flying above Hyakkimaru and scattering more of her poisonous scales.
Hyakkimaru gasped in surprise, then moved to avoid the scales.
<i>Hyakkimaru and the moth monster do battle. Since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><<button[[Battle with Moth Monster - Random Number]]>><</button>><br><br></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Battle with Moth Monster - Use 2]]>><</button>><br><br></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 57]]>><</button>></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 256]]>><</button>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 57]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7< "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 256]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle9 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle9 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle9 > "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 57]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle9< "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 256]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Well, well, Hyakkimaru. It seems you have some slight skill. But you are trying to destroy me in my dwelling, so I'm afraid I must take a stand." Shedding more poisoned scales, the moth monster transformed into a beautiful woman. There was something otherworldly about her human form: bewitching, and seeming unreal. Her hair was long, glossy and black, and her eyes had irises like a cat's. "My name is Maimai Onba. I come from a distant place. I encountered Sabame on a visit, and we fell in love within a day. And so, I am his wife.
"You met one of our children in your room tonight," Maimai Onba said. "The storehouse behind you contains our other children. Unlike human children, my own children must shed their skins many times before adulthood."
"Does Sabame know what you are?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Of course. Sabame treats me with nothing but love and respect. How are you still alive? Tell me your secrets, Hyakkimaru, before I leave this world. Only then will I be able to die in peace."
Maimai Onba was injured, but not even close to being dead. She chose to speak to Hyakkimaru at length in the hope that the poisoned scales she used would have longer to work their way into his system.
Hyakkimaru wasn't fooled by Maimai Onba. He knew she was waiting for him to weaken. "You want to know my secrets? Here's one: most of my body is artificial. You tried to poison me, but I don't even feel it. I actually pity you for thinking that poisoning something like me would actually work."
He jumped at Maimai Onba with his left sword arm extended. Maimai Onba dodged by a hair's breadth, transforming into a moth again and shedding scales as she flew out of range.
"Maimai Onba!" Hyakkimaru yelled after her. But she didn't stop or turn. Hyakkimaru was about to give chase when he heard Dororo's voice coming from behind him.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! There's a lot of weird stuff in the storehouse!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 318]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Die, Hyakkimaru! This place shall be your grave!" Shedding more poisoned scales, the moth monster transformed into a beautiful woman. There was something otherworldly about her human form: bewitching, and seeming unreal. "Those who are about to die should express no concern for the world or their future. The one who will send you to this state of detachment is I, Maimai Onba, wife of Sabame."
"So you're Sabame's wife." Hyakkimaru could barely stand; the poison was starting to settle in. But he couldn't let things end like this. From a place deep within himself, he summoned the strength to confront Maimai Onba. But when he looked around for her, he couldn't see her. He couldn't perceive much of anything.
Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic vision dimmed at the edges. He collapsed at the woman's feet. She waited for a few moments to make sure he didn't move. Then she unlocked the white storehouse with a key and went inside.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 71]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Inside the storehouse, Dororo was trying to make his escape. He'd grabbed one of the sacks of human skin as evidence and was struggling to reach the hole in the roof while encumbered.
The moth monster, now transformed into a woman's shape, entered the storehouse and shot out a glob of sticky white thread at Dororo. Dororo managed to pull the sticky stuff off of himself, but the moth monster just kept shooting out more.
Dororo screamed and fell as white sticky threads cocooned his whole body.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 100]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio angst play>>White threads filled Dororo's mouth as his body was wrapped all over. The moth monster pulled him upright and hung his body from the ceiling.
The moth monster laughed. "So Hyakkimaru asked you to investigate the storehouse, did he? Poor dear. Hyakkimaru got a few too many poison scales on him, so he's dead now. Don't worry. You'll join him very soon." She grinned, showing a mouth full of sharp fangs.
The moth monster tore into Dororo's face with her fangs.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited2 is false>><<set $visited2 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>While fretting over Hyakkimaru's safety, Dororo was knocked off his feet by a sudden gust of wind. "Ah!"
The moth monster moved to attack.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo called out. "The moth mother. It's out here! Hey!"
The moth monster blew a flurry of poisonous scales over Dororo's head. Dororo writhed and convulsed as the poison worked its way through his body.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 324]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><i>Damn it! All I can do is run!</i> Dororo thought to himself as he searched for some way to escape the moth demon. Scales fell like rain from the moth monster as she spread her wings and gave chase.
Hyakkimaru jumped out at the moth monster, putting himself between the monster and Dororo. Hyakkimaru sliced one wing clean through before the moth monster could react. Then he pinned it down and started slashing across its body.
The moth monster screamed and rolled away. As it did, it shed more poisonous scales, along with its skin. Beneath the shed skin, a beautiful woman emerged.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 236]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo stepped closer to the warrior with curiosity tempered by caution. The warrior stood there, completely still with his sword in his hand, looking like a wax statue of a person.
"He's unconscious, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said.
It was true. The warrior had passed out standing up, somehow, with his eyes wide open.
"Wow..." Dororo walked around the warrior, amazed.
"He's the most formidable swordsman I've faced," Hyakkimaru said. "I won because in a battle between my psychokinesis and the telekinetic powers of the sword, I had greater control."
Dororo was barely listening to Hyakkimaru's explanation of the battle. His eyes were fixed on the sword that the warrior held. "I want that sword," he said.
<img src="Images/CheckG.png">
<center><<if $G is "g">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 167]]>><</button>><</if>></center><center><<if $G is "G">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 103]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[G is checked.->Scene 167]]>><</button>>
</center><center><<button[[G is not checked.->Scene 103]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio stream play>>The reflection of the murmuring stream split the moonlight into gold and silver streaks of light. Reeds rustled along the shoreline. Insects scurried and sussurated in the reeds. Two char sputtered and spat oil as they cooked over spits on the fire.
"It's time to eat, Dororo." He tossed Dororo a fish.
"Oh. Thanks, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>." He sounded distracted, which was unusual. Dororo was never distracted when there was food.
They ate their fish, then lay down for the night. Dororo and Hyakkimaru fell into a deep sleep, lulled by the murmuring of the stream.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 291]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo remembered his father, Hibukuro. Hibukuro had been a fearless leader of bandits that only attacked corrupt samurai estates. He'd started life as a simple farmer whose life and livelihood were ruined by the war. A big, strong man, Hibukuro took to his role as bandit leader quite naturally, and many people followed him.
<i>My father was as strong as stone,</i> Dororo thought.
Hyakkimaru reminded Dororo of his father, especially when he was fighting. Hyakkimaru was stronger than the demons he fought. He might even be stronger than his father had been.
But Dororo's father was dead--betrayed by a man who'd claimed to follow him. After his death, his widow Oujiya and young child wandered in the wilderness. Dororo's mother died of exposure in a blizzard the first year after his death, and then Dororo was alone.
Dororo put aside his sad memories as he and Hyakkimaru came to a riverbank.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 31]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Don't you dare touch that sword, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said. "How many times do I have to say it? That's a <i>demon</i>, not an ordinary sword. Do you want a sword so much that you'd risk destroying everything you care about?"
Dororo had the good sense to look ashamed. He kowtowed in the dirt, then said, "I don't see why it's so wrong to want a sword. <i>You</i> have swords."
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "Groveling won't get you what you want. Now follow me." He spun on his heel and headed downhill on a mountain path.
"Why do I have to listen to you?" Dororo grumbled to himself. He got up and was about to follow Hyakkimaru when the glint of the warrior's sword caught his eye again.
The warrior remained motionless. Light danced and swayed around his sword as if it were alive. The light beckoned to Dororo.
"Hehehehe...." Dororo chuckled nervously.
Hyakkimaru had passed out of sight, and was already well on his way to the foot of the mountain.
Dororo stretched out his hand to touch the sword.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 204]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You idiot!" Hyakkimaru shouted at Dororo from behind. "Don't touch that sword!"
"Why not?" Dororo asked. "You have swords; why not me?"
"Do you want a sword so much that you'd throw away everything else that's important to you?"
"Don't pretend that you know what I want, <span class='tooltip'><i>aniki</i><span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. You don't."
"I'm not saying you can't have a sword, ever. I'm saying you can't have <i>that</i> sword. Let's get out of here."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo left. The warrior remained completely motionless, sword in hand. The sword shook and writhed in its desire for blood.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 19]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo took the sword from the warrior's hands. The warrior stood still, fixed in place. The light around the sword dimmed as it settled into Dororo's grip. It no longer needed to find a new owner and seemed content to rest in Dororo's hands for awhile.
Dororo slid the sword through a belt at his waist, feeling like a real swordsman. He puffed out his chest as he walked around with the sword. He finally had what he'd wanted for so long: a sword of his very own.
"Dororo!"
Dororo tensed. Hyakkimaru was calling him. He ran and hid behind a rock. If Hyakkimaru found out that Dororo had taken the demon-possessed sword, he'd be so angry. There was no way that Hyakkimaru would let Dororo keep the sword.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 35]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>When Dororo didn't follow him down the mountain, Hyakkimaru backtracked to find him. "Dororo! Dororo, where are you?" he called out.
When he reached the place where he'd dueled the warrior, he found the warrior gone. That should have been impossible.
"Dororo!" Hyakkimaru shouted louder. If the warrior was on the move again, then Dororo was in grave danger. He climbed up the mountain path, searching for any sign of Dororo's passage.
Dororo used Hyakkimaru's distraction to slip past and run toward the village they had seen earlier.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 223]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I got nothin' to worry about. I'm a samurai now! Got my own sword and everything!" Dororo spoke to himself to settle his fears as he approached the village.
"Blood."
The sword at Dororo's hip spoke in a chilling voice.
"Blood... I must have blood..."
"Huh?" Dororo looked around, searching for the source of the voice. There was no one around. A worn stone statue of Jizo stood on the side of the road.
"Kill," the cold voice said again. "Kill people."
The voice wasn't human. It wormed into Dororo's mind and senses and made him pull he sword from his hip.
Holding the sword in both hands, Dororo gritted out, "I... don't want to kill people. All I wanted was a sword!" His shoulders shook in fear and revulsion. "I <i>can't</i> kill people."
"You can," the cold voice said. "You will."
Dororo struggled, wordless, but in the end his horror succumbed to the demon's power. He stood up straighter with murderous intent in his gaze. Part of Dororo knew that this was wrong, but he couldn't get free of the demon's influence.
Dororo glared at the village below him with open contempt. He walked toward the village gates, sword in hand.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 269]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru searched the mountain up and down, but found no sign of Dororo anywhere. Dororo must have tricked him somehow. He couldn't get the image of Dororo being cut down by the warrior with the demon-possessed sword out of his head.
"Dororo..." His only source of hope at this point was that he hadn't found Dororo's body. <i>Did he come after me, but the warrior was chasing him? Maybe he got to the village. Please stay safe, Dororo,</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
Hyakkimaru sprinted down the path, reaching the village as quickly as he could. When he was close to the main gates, his psychokinetic senses picked up on sounds of fear: screaming, running.
<i>How many people have that warrior and his sword killed?</i> Hyakkimaru thought, apprehensive. He entered into the village, looking for Dororo all the while.
A young woman rushed out of a side street and tripped over Hyakkimaru. Her eyes were huge and wet with tears and she was trembling all over.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 58]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The woman who had bumped into Hyakkimaru was named Osushi. When she noticed that he was a swordsman, she begged for assistance.
"Please, please help us! A person with a sword has gone insane and is slaughtering innocent people!"
Hyakkimaru nodded. "It's as I feared. I will stop this swordsman, I promise."
"It's not a swordsman," Osushi said sadly. "It's a child."
Hyakkimaru tensed. "A child?"
"I was almost killed by them," Osushi said, "but I got away. I think the amulet that I received from the temple helped to keep me safe."
Hyakkimaru calmed himself by force of will and snapped out of his tense paralysis.
"Dororo, I'm coming," he called out as he ran.
Osushi followed after him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 249]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The pain in Hyakkimaru's right arm was excruciating. He knelt down, cradling his arm and biting back the pain. Sweat stood out on his forehead. He curled in on himself like a shrimp as the pain intensified.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>? Are you okay?" Dororo asked.
Dororo's voice in his ear helped to ground Hyakkimaru, distracting him from the pain. Dororo sounded tired, he thought.
Then his right arm prosthetic fell off with a dull thud, bringing the sword embedded in the shoulder joint along with it.
Dororo's eyes went wide. "Your arm... you grew an <i>arm</i>?" Dororo asked.
"I did." Hyakkimaru smiled as he flexed new fingers. "I did."
Dororo leaned in closer, then poked his right hand. "It's real!"
"It is. Forty-eight demons stole pieces of my body. By defeating Bandai, I got my right arm back." He touched his right arm with his artificial left hand, savoring this victory.
<<if $right_arm is false>><<set $right_arm to true>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-24.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Handy<br> for getting your right arm back from Bandai.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center>Reduce Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic power by 30 points.
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power - 30>>
Increase Hyakkimaru's experience points by 30 points.
<<set $experience_h=$experience_h + 30>></center>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 127]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckH.png"><center><<if $H is "h">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 274]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $H is "H">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 91]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[H is checked.->Scene 274]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[H is not checked.->Scene 91]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png"><center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 116]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 75]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[P is checked.->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[P is not checked.->Scene 75]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png"><center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 110]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 299]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[P is checked.->Scene 110]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[P is not checked.->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru have triumphed over the challenges on the Path of Heaven. Where will they go next?
Check <b>Q</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $Q="q">>
<center><<button[[The Path of Earth.->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[The Path of Humanity.->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>"The wind blows to the east, and it rains in the west. If the fickle wind carries my scent, it will sneak up behind me..."
Dororo hummed old Semimaru's song as he and Hyakkimaru walked along.
As if summoned by the sound of his own song, Semimaru appeared on the road ahead of them. He chuckled at the sight of Dororo. "Well, then! And where did you learn that delightful tune, young one?"
"Why are you askin' if ya already know?"
Biwamaru chuckled again. "It seems that you have been through much since I saw you last. You must have risked death many times over to retrieve pieces of your body from demons."
"You sure know a lot, Mr. Monk. Can you see more than you let on?" Dororo asked.
Another chuckle. "I sense things, young one, even if I can't see. Usually, what I sense is correct. And now, my senses urge me to guide you toward Banmon. It is a dangerous place--far more dangerous than places you have been. There are rumors of demons dwelling there. Don't die. Becoming human is no easy task."
Semimaru said goodbye, then walked away, singing his song. Dororo and Hyakkimaru walked toward Banmon, following Semimaru's directions.
<center>Increase Hyakkimaru's Experience Points by 50.
<<set $experience_h to $experience_h + 50>>
Increase Dororo's Experience Points by 30.
<<set $experience_d to $experience_d + 30>>
Check <b>R</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $R="r">></center>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 15: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Find a Village]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 6.</i>
"I am sorry we have inconvenienced you, Lord Sabame." Maimai Onba's voice echoed from the swamp. "Our child was killed, and you were helpless to stop it. I would never have exposed myself like this otherwise."
"I... I'm not sure I want to see you anymore," Sabame said.
"It is sad. I wish we could go back to the way things were, but now it is too late. Prepare yourself, Sabame. I cannot spare you now." She faced Hyakkimaru. "And you! I shall never forget my anger, not even in one hundred generations!"
Maimai Onba shook the sleeves of her garment, spraying poisonous scales in all directions.
"Dororo! Signal to light the torches!" Hyakkimaru shouted.
Dororo lit a pile of brushwood that rested in the center of their boat. The villagers hidden in the swamp along the shore lit their own torches. The area around the boat was as brightly lit as daytime.
"Oooh.... oooh..." Maimai Onba swayed in ecstasy. "The light! It calls to me!" The expression on her face was one of unwilling joy. She desired the light, but knew that to get closer to it would mean her own death.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with Maimai Onba. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle in the Swamp - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle in the Swamp - Use 6]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 194]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 70]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center><<audio ":all" stop>>Mio beckoned with her white hand.
Dororo turned pale and shook his head. "No. I won't be devoured by a ghost."
"That's not what will happen. Mio was a kind person. She's not here to harm us, but to help us."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 161]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 6.</i>
Dororo and Hyakkimaru followed Mio through a long tunnel. The tunnel wasn't lit, but Mio's ghostly form gave off enough light for them to see by.
Then foxfires popped into existence all around them, attacking Mio first. She writhed and twisted soundlessly, but the flames completely covered her, and she vanished.
"Can't you even leave the dead alone?!" Hyakkimaru glared at the foxfires.
Three foxfires grew large, transforming into a frog, a snake, and a centipede made of fire. As Hyakkimaru attacked, they breathed fire through their open mouths.
<i>Hyakkimaru engages the transformed foxfires in battle. In this case, since Hyakkimaru is fighting alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Foxfires - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Foxfires - Use 6]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 277 - Snake of Flame]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 196]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo successfully defeated the demon that was waiting for them on the Path of Humanity. Which way will they go next?
Check <b>Q</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $Q="q">>
<center><<button[[The Path of Heaven->Scene 151]]>><</button>>
<<button[[The Path of Earth->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru traversed the steep mountain path as the world went dark past sunset. They had spent many days in the wild camping outside. Both were relieved when they crested a rise and saw a village in the distance.
They went down the path and into the village, coming across a barren field. Sand blew around their feet as the wind picked up.
"Dororo, be careful," Hyakkimaru said. He sensed a demonic presence nearby.
Dororo was excited about the village, so he wasn't as concerned as Hyakkimaru was about their safety.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 292]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio banmon play>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, there's something weird over here." Dororo said. There were fields around the village they were close to, and beyond that, a high hill. Atop the hill there stood a large section of wooden wall, seven or eight meters high and about that wide. "What's this?" Dororo asked, pointing to the section of wall.
"I don't know," Hyakkimaru said. He felt a strange aura here, but no immediate threat. He sat down with his back against the section of wall. "I think we should camp here tonight. I'd like to find out more about this place."
"Okay." Dororo shifted in his seat, then pulled on something lumpy underneath him. He thought it was a stone, but when he blew the dirt and dust off, he found the top half of a human skull.
"This place is a graveyard, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo said, casting the skull far away from him.
<img src="Images/Banmon.png">
Hyakkimaru ran his prosthetic hand over the section of wall at their backs. He found sharp gouges that came from arrows--hundreds of gouges. "It's not a graveyard, but an old battlefield. I bet this wall was part of a fortification. But the battle was lost, and this section of wall is all that remains."
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses to investigate the wall by himself.->Scene 197]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru decides to stay with Dororo and make camp.->Scene 330 - Skeletons at the Wall]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>As Hyakkimaru continued his mad dash into the Daigo Clan estate, a woman crossed his path.
Hyakkimaru had never seen this woman before, but something within him recognized her. "Are you... Nui no Kata?" he asked.
"Are you Hyakkimaru?"
Neither answered the other. He pushed past her and ran deeper into the estate. "Kagemitsu! Come out!" He moved through the estate like a whirlwind, smashing through shoji screens and breaking down wooden doors.
"Hyakkimaru! Please, forgive me..." Nui no Kata trailed sorrowfully behind, picking through the wake of his destruction.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 227]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You vile demon!" Hyakkimaru spat at the demon-possessed sword. He raised his right sword arm, then slammed it down on Nihil with all his strength.
White flames flared around Nihil, accompanied by the screams of the dead. White flames flew away in all directions and scattered, leaving Nihil dull. It was an ordinary sword now. The spirits of those the sword had killed were set free.
Then Nihil cracked down the middle and split in pieces.
Osushi threw herself over Tanosuke's body and wept.
"I'm sorry about your brother," Hyakkimaru said quietly.
"I was too late to save him," she said. "If only I had found him sooner..."
"You couldn't have saved him," Hyakkimaru said. "All that's left to do is remember him. And grieve."
With the danger past, the other villagers emerged from their homes and looked on Osushi with expressions of pity. Even Dororo was moved by her tears.
Check <b>H</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $H="h">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 309]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio ring play>>Dororo woke up when he heard a strange sound. He listened closely, trying to identify what he was hearing.
<i>Ring-ring. Ring-ring.</i> It was the chiming of a bell, clear and echoing in the stillness of the night.
A hulking figure approached the place where Dororo and Hyakkimaru had made camp. A chill went up Dororo's spine as he noticed the figure coming closer.
The figure stepped through the thin mist along the stream. Half its body or more was just a huge, oval-shaped head with a flat forehead. The rest of the figure was humanoid, with hands and feet, looking comically small when set below the huge head.
This was a spirit called a Kanekozou--a monk who died after being robbed of all their possessions.
<img src="Images/Kanekozou.png">
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru ignores the spirit.->Scene 280 - Hyakkimaru Follows the Bell-Ringing Spirit]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru gets up and investigates the spirit.->Scene 208]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo left the village with heavy steps. Hyakkimaru jerked to a halt, holding his head.
"Ah! It hurts! My eyes hurt!" He stumbled and fell, hands over his eyes.
"Aniki, what's wrong?" Dororo asked. He put himself at Hyakkimaru's shoulder, worried and confused about what was happening.
A spike of sharp pain shot through Hyakkimaru's left eye. The false eye dropped out and onto the ground. As pain receded by slow degrees, Hyakkimaru saw the false eye in front of him.
<i>Saw</i> it. With his actual eye, not his psychokinetic senses.
Hyakkimaru probed his left eye with his prosthetic fingers, very carefully. The area around it felt warm.
He had one of his eyes back! Joy sparkled within his restored eye. "I can see!" Hyakkimaru told Dororo.
Dororo still appeared worried and confused. He looked at Hyakkimaru with a dubious expression.
"Dororo... are you Dororo? Is that what you look like?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"What's wrong with you?" Dororo asked. "You're acting really weird."
Hyakkimaru picked Dororo up, laughing. "So that's your face! You're actually adorable. I thought you'd look meaner based on how you talk."
"What is <i>that</i> supposed to mean?" Dororo sputtered. Then the implications of Hyakkimaru's words sunk in, and he noticed the gleam in one of Hyakkimaru's eyes. "You... can actually see? That's great, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!"
The voice that Hyakkimaru had heard in that wayside shrine had told the truth. He had utterly destroyed <span class='tooltip'>Nihil<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Nihil (Japanese: 丹蛭) Nihil means ‘crimson leech;’ the red described is the same color as red earth. It is the name of a demon-possessed sword carried by Tanosuke.</i></span></span>, and in exchange, he'd regained his left eye. He had no reason to doubt what the voice had told him anymore. His certainty of the rightness of his own path bolstered his courage.
<<if $left_eye is false>><<set $left_eye to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-12.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Side-Eye<br> for recovering your left eye from a demon.<br></i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center>Decrease Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power by 30 points.
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power - 30>>
Increase Hyakkimaru's Experience Points by 30 points.
<<set $experience_h=$experience_h + 30>></center>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 328 - Check N]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Lady Bandai had an ethereal, otherworldly quality that made it hard to believe she was human. Her face was stunningly beautiful; her mannerisms, perfectly elegant. Her pale skin had a luminescent glow. A sweet scent lingered all around her.
But Lady Bandai couldn't walk. Some illness made it impossible for her to use her legs. For that reason, Hyakkimaru and Dororo were brought before Lady Bandai and asked to sit down.
"Hm. You are travelers, are you not?" Lady Bandai asked, seeming curious but not hostile. She sat up in bed, her head and shoulders resting against a backrest. A white silk blanket covered her body from the waist down.
"I heard that you camped outside the village last night. Tell me what you know of the spirit you saw." Bandai's large black eyes searched Hyakkimaru and Dororo's faces.
<center><<button[[We saw no spirit.->Scene 99]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[We saw a spirit.->Scene 252]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[We saw a spirit, and it talked to us.->Scene 281]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"We camped outside the village last night, but I didn't see <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span>," Hyakkimaru said.
His answer displeased Bandai. Dororo shifted in his seat, but didn't contradict Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 214a]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Yes, I saw it," Hyakkimaru said. "It was walking in the river in the middle of the night, ringing a bell." As he spoke, he looked down, avoiding Lady Bandai's gaze.
"And what about you, boy?" Lady Bandai asked. "Did you see anything?"
Dororo had been distracted by Lady Bandai's stunning beauty, and only came out of his stupor when she called on him to answer her question. "Uh... I saw it, too. Same as aniki."
"And that is all that you saw?"
"Yes?" Dororo said. "Were we supposed to see something else?"
Lady Bandai's expression turned as cold and expressionless as a mask. She called to the villagers and ordered them to take Hyakkimaru and Dororo away. They were to be detained in a hut that contained a well.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 271]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Yes, I saw it," Hyakkimaru said. "It was walking in the river in the middle of the night, ringing a bell."
'"And then what happened?" Lady Bandai asked.
"The spirit stepped out of the river and knelt by my side. It whispered in my ear, 'Do you want some?'"
"I see. Did it say anything else?"
"No, only that."
"And what about you, boy?" Lady Bandai asked. "Did you see anything?"
Dororo had been distracted by Lady Bandai's stunning beauty, and only came out of his stupor when she called on him to answer her question. "Uh... I saw it, too. Same as <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
There was a silence. Lady Bandai broke it. "I believe I understand what it is that you saw and heard. I thank you for your honesty." She appeared quite satisfied, and the rest of the interview proceeded pleasantly.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 114]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>It seemed that the boy would follow him wherever he went.
Hyakkimaru stopped sharply and turned around. He pulled off his right arm prosthetic, then started running again with the sword arm exposed--directly at Dororo!
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Dororo asked. He turned tail and fled.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 226]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio collapse play>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru were in a cave without an exit. Dororo searched for one anyway, looking for a way out beyond the huge number of monsters.
"Aniki!" Dororo yelled as one of the monsters lunged at him, swinging a metal club.
Hyakkimaru had no time to spare for Dororo. He was surrounded by monsters himself.
The monster roared, splitting Dororo's skull with its metal club.
"Dororo!"
Distracted, Hyakkimaru didn't block the next attack. Another monster pierced his stomach with a sword.
Hyakkimaru groaned, falling to his knees. The other monsters gathered around him and beat him to death with their clubs. The sound of bones shattering echoed in the cave.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited3 is false>><<set $visited3 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckN.png">
<center><<if $N is "n">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 193]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $N is "N">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 320]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[N is checked.->Scene 193]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[N is not checked.->Scene 320]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckH.png">
<center><<if $H is "h">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 110]]>><</button>><</if>></center><center><<if $H is "H">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 116]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[H is checked.->Scene 110]]>><</button>>
</center><center><<button[[H is not checked.->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckH.png">
<center><<if $H is "h">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 151]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $H is "H">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 14: Completion of the Path of Humanity]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: H is checked.->Scene 151]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: H is not checked.->Scene 14: Completion of the Path of Humanity]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 6.</i>
Tanosuke attacked. Hyakkimaru caught the first slash on his sword. Tendrils of white magic swirled from the demon-possessed blade, pulling Hyakkimaru's sword off-course when he tried to press the attack.
Hyakkimaru suppressed the magic using psychokinesis, breathing hard from the effort.
Tanosuke hadn't even broken a sweat. The magic of the demon-possessed sword suffused his entire body, lending Tanosuke the strength and endurance of the demon.
Hyakkimaru felt a sense of impending doom and broke into a cold sweat. <i>He'll kill me.</i>
The battle was appallingly swift, but to Hyakkimaru it seemed to take ages. He had little organic tissue, but his he'd exhausted his psychokinetic reserves. For the first time in his life, he was experiencing genuine fatigue.
Tanosuke struck Hyakkimaru with a fatal blow.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Tanosuke do battle. Hyakkimaru is fighting Tanosuke alone, so the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Tanosuke - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Tanosuke - Use 6]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 101]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 119]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "500">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 101]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "500">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 119]]>><</button>></center><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle13 > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle13 > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle13 > "500">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 101]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle13 < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle13 < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle13 < "500">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 119]]>><</button>></center><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>As the demon-possessed sword descended on him, Hyakkimaru caught the blow on the edge of his left arm with the last of his strength. The sword got stuck in his left arm prosthetic. When Tanosuke tried to recall it telepathically, he pulled Hyakkimaru along with it.
Hyakkimaru seized his chance, rushing at Tanosuke as fast as he possibly could. He ripped off his left arm prosthetic as he ran and plunged his left sword arm into Tanosuke's gut.
"Aaaah!" Tanosuke screamed, strangely high-pitched, and dropped the demon-possessed sword. Blood gushed from his wound, staining his white kimono a deep red.
Hyakkimaru moved to retrieve the demon-possessed sword. Tanosuke summoned strength from inside himself and got to the sword before Hyakkimaru could, holding it aloft. "No! This sword is mine!"
<center><<button[[Convince Tanosuke to give up the sword.->Scene 164]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Cut down Tanosuke here and now.->Scene 56]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio darkness play>>"Ugh..." Hyakkimaru was too exhausted to dodge. He dropped his sword, and the demon-possessed sword dug deeply into his shoulder. The arm fell off at the shoulder, and the stump bled profusely.
Hyakkimaru gasped. His other arm came up to defend himself, but the demon-possessed sword thrust through his heart.
"Gah..." Hyakkimaru groaned. He never said another word.
Dororo forgot himself and jumped out, hugging Hyakkimaru's body as it rolled away from the demon-possessed sword. The sword attacked Dororo's back next, running him through and killing him instantly.
Tanosuke smiled as the sword flew back to his hands. "Yes, yes. Drink more of that blood. As much as you want."
Osushi understood that the demon possessing the sword had transformed the brother she thought she knew into something monstrous. She tried to cry out, but the shock of the scene made her lose consciousness.
The setting sun dyed the bodies of Hyakkimaru and Dororo red.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited4 is false>><<set $visited4 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png"><center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 116]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 111]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[P is checked.->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[P is not checked.->Scene 111]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"So, then. Where to next? Will you walk the Path of Earth, or the Path of Humanity?"
<center><<button[[The Path of Earth.->Scene 116]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[The Path of Humanity->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Hello there! Are you travelers?"
The man who called out to Hyakkimaru and Dororo was an elderly gentleman in clean, well-kept clothes. He looked to be the elder of this village. His tone was friendly, but there was a greedy glint to his eyes that made Hyakkimaru uneasy.
"Where do you come from?" the old man asked.
"We come from where we came from," Hyakkimaru said.
The old man nodded. "Understandable to have some secrets to yourself, the roads being what they are these days. The wilds around the village are getting more and more dangerous."
"Really?" Dororo asked. "We camped outside the village last night and didn't see anything dangerous."
"You didn't?" the old man asked. "I'm glad you're safe, travelers. Did you see anything out of the ordinary?"
<center><<button[[We saw something.->Scene 153]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[We saw nothing.->Scene 141]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru raised both his swords in threat and said, "Give that sword up, right now."
Tanosuke wasn't listening. "Nihil? What? It is <i>my</i> blood you desire? Very well. Take it." He turned the demon-possessed sword on himself, plunging it into his own heart.
Hyakkimaru called out for him to stop, but it was too late. Tanosuke crumpled to the ground face-first as his life left him. It was the first time he had ever been defeated.
<<if $demon_sword is false>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><<set $demon_sword to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-11.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Duelist<br> for winning a sword duel against an undefeated opponent.<br></i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 36]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You bastard," Hyakkimaru snarled. His right sword arm swung down, deflecting Tanosuke's next strike. At the same time, he thrust his nameless left sword arm straight through Tanosuke's throat.
"Gah!" Tanosuke collapsed. Nihil fell from his hands. He pitched forward on top of the sword, and the sword sucked in his blood, leaving the ground spotless.
"Give up," Hyakkimaru said, striking Nihil with his right sword arm. There was a strident clang, and the sword stopped absorbing blood. Before their eyes, the sword rusted, then cracked into pieces.
Some of the braver villagers emerged from hiding to see the outcome of the battle.
Osushi sobbed behind Hyakkimaru.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru left that village under a cloud of sadness.
<<if $brute is false>><<set $brute to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-15.png"><<audio failfare play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Brutal<br> for killing first and asking questions never.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 15: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Find a Village]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Oh yeah, we did see something. A freaky spirit that looked like a monster," Dororo said.
"You saw it?!" The old man's demeanor changed in an instant. Villagers in their homes peeked out their windows at his sudden shout. "They saw the spirit! Bind them, bind them!"
The other people in the village must have been waiting for their elder's signal. They moved as one, converging on Dororo and Hyakkimaru with practiced ease.
The villagers had done this exact thing to other travelers before.
Farmers armed with plows and spears surrounded Dororo and Hyakkimaru, weapons raised threateningly.
"Get them! Make sure they don't escape!" the village elder called out.
"What the hell are you guys doing! Let us go!" Dororo said.
One of the villagers poked Dororo with the butt of his spear.
"Ow! <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, get us out of here!"
Hyakkimaru wanted to do as Dororo asked, but these people were farmers, not warriors. It wouldn't be honorable to kill them, not unless it was really in self-defense. Dororo should understand that once he'd calmed down some.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 332 - The Villagers Bring Dororo and Hyakkimaru to Bandai]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"No, we didn't see a thing. Why? Is there something dangerous out there?" Hyakkimaru asked, giving Dororo a look that asked him silently to play along.
"I see," the man said. "There is an evil spirit known as <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span> that haunts our little village at night. The spirit has caused us nothing but trouble. If you had seen it, we would want you to tell us everything that you remember about it. We can't have vengeful spirits prowling around like this; it's not safe." The man pursed his lips in distaste.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 170]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fantasia play>>Hyakkimaru panted out harsh, painful breaths as he waited for Dororo to return with an antidote to the poison. As the poison spread through Hyakkimaru's body, it became hard for him to remember where he was and who he was--even his own name.
"Dororo..."
Hyakkimaru summoned the last of his strength to stand, but he couldn't rise. He died with defiance in his heart for what had happened to him.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited5 is false>><<set $visited5 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>>Osushi clung to Hyakkimaru in desperation. "Please, just let me talk to Tanosuke. It's been five years since I saw him last. I... I'm sure my brother will listen to reason if I--"
Hyakkimaru wasn't listening to a word that Osushi was saying. He thrust her away from him and faced Tanosuke.
"Please, wait!" Osushi cried. She sounded heartbroken.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 73]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next day, Dororo and Hyakkimaru entered the village that bordered the stream where they'd slept the previous night. The streets were empty and quiet.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. I wonder if that freaky spirit thing we saw yesterday is why this village is so quiet."
"Only one way to be sure," Hyakkimaru said. His face had no expression.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 126]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dozens of snake heads spewed fire, then attacked Hyakkimaru as a group.
Hyakkimaru felt himself melting in the heat and tried to roll to put the fire out. The long, tough grass tightened its hold on him as he struggled to remain conscious.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 175]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ring play>>The spirit with the bell guided Dororo and Hyakkimaru to a village that bordered the stream where they'd chosen to camp that night. It paused outside the village and stared at it as if it were inviting Dororo and Hyakkimaru to take a closer look.
Then the spirit resumed its slow walk, halting outside a bamboo grove that grew within sight of the village. Hyakkimaru went into the grove, finding a place where the bamboo was chopped away. The earth was raised in that place. Something was buried there.
Hyakkimaru stepped out of the way as the spirit climbed up onto the raised mound of earth and sat down.
<i>Ring-ring.</i>
With one last ring of the bell, the spirit shrank to the size of a stone atop the grave, then faded away like so much mist and dream.
Check <b>E</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $E="e">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 138]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Let us go, you bullies! Why are you doing this?!" Dororo demanded answers, but he didn't get them from the villagers.
"Shut up, you stupid kid!" one of the farmers snapped.
The villagers bound Hyakkimaru and Dororo's hands and feet, then carried them to the estate of the village elder. The estate was on a hill not too far from the bamboo grove that the spirit had led them to last night. As they moved through the village, Hyakkimaru heard that this estate belonged to Lady Bandai, a benefactor of the village, and not the elder that they'd spoken to.
Hyakkimaru's first impression of the estate made him feel cold through. There was a vengeful spirit here--maybe even a demon. He didn't get the same feeling from the spirit he'd seen last night. This spirit was malevolent and meant him and Dororo harm.
Hyakkimaru put up no resistance as the villagers carried him closer and closer to the demonic presence that he sensed.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 45]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru survived the trials of the Path of Earth. Which path should he take next?
Check <b>Q</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $Q="q">>
<center><<button[[The Path of Heaven->Scene 151]]>><</button>>
<<button[[The Path of Humanity->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png"><center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 110]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 299]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[P is checked.->Scene 110]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[P is not checked.->Scene 299]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Tanosuke! Oh, my brother, is it really you?" Oshushi made to run toward the warrior, but Hyakkimaru held her back.
"Don't go to him. He'll kill you," Hyakkimaru said.
"Oshushi," the warrior said, sounding pained. "It's been... a long time."
<center><<button[[Osushi could die if Hyakkimaru doesn't protect her. Try to protect her.->Scene 166]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru doesn't have time for this. Deal with Tanosuke first.->Scene 132]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Brother, you've returned!" Osushi said. "I'm sure it's because father and I prayed so much at the temple. We've been waiting for you for such a long time. Won't you come home with us?"
Osushi struggled against Hyakkimaru's grip so that she could go to her brother, but Hyakkimaru refused to let her go.
"Osushi. If you come closer, I will kill you, sister or no."
"What?" Osushi asked, eyes wide.
Hyakkimaru pushed Osushi behind him and readied himself for battle.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 68]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckY.png">
<center><<if $Y is "y">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 268]]>><</button>><</if>></center><center><<if $Y is "Y">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 42]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[Y is checked.->Scene 268]]>><</button>>
</center><center><<button[[Y is not checked.->Scene 42]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 4.</i>
"Damn it! I won't let you kill me!" Dororo yelled. He bit Maimai Onba's hand as hard as he could and slipped free of her grip. He ran like the wind away from her.
All of the false nuns gave chase, surrounding Dororo before he could get away.
Dororo bent down and picked up a burnt beam from what remained of the temple. "Come on!" he shouted in challenge. "If you're gonna get me, then come and get me!" He waved the piece of beam around in circles like a windmill.
The nuns scoffed. All at once, they launched white sticky thread out of their mouths straight at Dororo.
<i>Dororo engages the false Buddhist nuns in battle. Dororo is fighting alone, so the battle calculation is as follows:
(Dororo's Attack Power + Dororo's Defensive Power) x Dororo's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with False Nuns - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with False Nuns - Use 4]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 257]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 84]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"No way, lady! I ain't about to sit here and let you kill me!" Dororo bit her hand and won free of her grip.
"Don't let that child escape! Seize him!" the nun shouted.
The other nuns fanned out so that Dororo wouldn't be able to get past.
"Hehehehe, catch me if you can!" He slid underneath the reach of their arms and ran out the entrance of the temple. He smacked straight into Hyakkimaru, who was about to go inside.
"Dororo." He smiled. He was supposed to be poisoned, and he did look to be a bit green around the gills, but he could walk just fine. "I'm glad you're all right."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 257]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png">
<center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 151]]>><</button>><</if>></center><center><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 159]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[P is checked.->Scene 151]]>><</button>>
</center><center><<button[[P is not checked.->Scene 159]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckH.png">
<center><<if $H is "h">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 293]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $H is "H">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 86]]>><</button>><</if>>
<<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: H is checked.->Scene 293]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: H is not checked.->Scene 86]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckP.png">
<center><<if $P is "p">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 69]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $P is "P">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 299]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: P is checked.->Scene 69]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: P is not checked.->Scene 299]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckN.png"><center><<if $N is "n">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 160]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $N is "N">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 211]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[Check route: N is checked.->Scene 160]]>><</button>>
<<button[[Check route: N is not checked.->Scene 211]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"It seems like the only thing left for you to do is to go back the way you came."
"Yes, it seems so."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 151]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Osushi moved to wrap her arms around Hyakkimaru's legs, trying to stop him from attacking her brother. Hyakkimaru side-stepped her and approached Tanosuke.
Tanosuke attacked swiftly.
Their swords clashed with such strength and ferocity that sparks flew. Hyakkimaru and Tanosuke jumped back from one another, each considering their opponent.
Osushi was stunned by this display of violence and remained on the ground.
Hyakkimaru charged at Tanosuke.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 73]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio ring play>><i>Ring-ring. Ring-ring.</i>
The spirit stopped moving in the middle of the river. It tilted its head as if it were listening to Dororo and Hyakkimaru's breathing. Dororo froze still; fear and uncertainty didn't give him any good options. Should he run? Was this thing dangerous?
The worst thing was that Hyakkimaru didn't acknowledge the spirit at all. He stayed in his bedroll and didn't move a muscle.
The spirit started moving again, climbing the riverbank and coming closer to Hyakkimaru.
<i>Ring-ring. Ring-ring.</i>
The spirit knelt down next to Hyakkimaru and whispered something in his ear. "Do you want some? Do you want some?"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 225]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ring play>><i>Ring-ring. Ring-ring.</i>
The spirit crossed over the stream, coming closer and closer to the place where Dororo and Hyakkimaru had bedded down for the night. Dororo stiffened, pretending to be asleep.
"Do you want some? Do you want some?" the spirit asked, speaking right in Hyakkimaru's ear. The spirit said some other things, too, but Dororo couldn't hear them.
Hyakkimaru sat up, glancing at the spirit with an expression of irritation. "Well, if you're offering, then I guess I'll accept some," Hyakkimaru said.
The spirit turned away slowly and walked back to the stream again. Hyakkimaru followed after him, and Dororo followed Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 152]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The village in the valley below was a prosperous one. As Dororo and Hyakkimaru came down the mountain path, they saw many colorful shops and a well-maintained stretch of road. Above this market, a fortress loomed.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo sat down for a rest on the stone steps of the village temple. An old man and his daughter came out of the temple and noticed them. Noticed them rather dramatically; the man couldn't stop staring at them.
"You appear to be travelers," the old man said. "Are you well? You appear hungry to me."
Dororo glared at the old man. "We're fine."
Then Dororo's stomach growled with an audible sound.
The old man's daughter giggled.
Hyakkimaru smiled at Dororo. "You could have said something," he said.
Dororo held his gut with both hands and pressed in as if he wanted to force it to be quiet by his will alone.
The old man looked to his daughter. "Osushi, we should help." At her nod, he removed a small pouch of coins from his pocket. He fished a few coins out of the pouch and offered them to Hyakkimaru. "I know it's not much, but please use this to pay for a meal for yourselves."
Dororo bowed his head in gratitude, all his typical rudeness changing to politeness in an instant. He took the coins before Hyakkimaru could and stashed them in his clothes. "Thank you so much, mister."
The old man and his daughter said polite goodbyes, then headed into the village.
"Let's go eat, <span class='tooltip'><i>aniki</i><span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo said brightly. "I'm gonna have two bowls of rice and some salted squid and some udon and some..."
Hyakkimaru stopped listening to Dororo's list of what he would eat somewhere in the middle. He couldn't see their benefactors with his eyes, but he tried to picture their gentle, kindly faces in his mind's eye. Only kind people would offer coins to feed hungry children.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 124]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru went to go get something to eat in a tavern that sat along the well-maintained section of road that contained most of the village shops and stores. It wasn't quite evening, so they had the place all to themselves. Dororo bit off the head of a mackerel pike, following that up with huge gobs of rice that he shoveled into his face with chopsticks.
Hyakkimaru drank his tea and asked the tavern owner some questions. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know a man who has a daughter named Osushi? They live in this village, I think."
"Oh, yes, I know that family. Osushi is a good girl, and very pretty. It's really a shame that the family is so poor." He hesitated as if he wanted to say more, but then thought better of it.
"Is there something wrong? Do they need help?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"No, nothing like that. Osushi had an older brother, but he vanished five years ago. No one's heard a word about him since. He abandoned his family--it's shameful."
Hyakkimaru made an encouraging sound to get the man to continue speaking.
"Osushi and her family visit the temple fairly often now. They never used to, at least not quite as much. I feel sorry for them. They think the brother is still alive. If he is, I'm not sure why they'd want him back."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 134]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Thank you, mister! All of this was delicious! Oh, tea!" Dororo said, cutting in on the conversation. It would be more accurate to say that until he'd eaten his food, he wasn't aware that a conversation was happening. He stretched hugely, then patted his full stomach in satisfaction.
Suddenly, a large group of people ran past the tavern all at once.
The tavern owner raised an eyebrow. "What's all that noise?"
Dororo looked out the windows. "Oi! What's going on?"
One of the women who'd dashed past moments ago turned back and entered the tavern. In a breathless voice, she said, "It's awful! There's a murderer on the loose, and he's killing people in the street!" then she rushed off to deliver this grim news elsewhere.
"If there's a murderer prowling through the village... I am sorry, travelers, but I'm going to have to close up for the night," the tavern owner said.
Before he could even finish speaking, Hyakkimaru had jumped out of his seat, paid their bill, and run outside.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! Wait for me!" Dororo said, fast on his heels.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 145]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle14 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle14 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle14 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle14 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle14 > "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 257]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle14 < "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 84]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle18 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle14 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle18 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle18 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle18 > "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 257]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle18 < "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 84]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The false nuns gasped and took a step back as Hyakkimaru jumped in front of Dororo, shielding him from their attacks.
Hyakkimaru laughed. "You know, your plan <i>almost</i> worked. If I hadn't gotten an antidote from a farmer who was passing by, I'd be worm food by now."
Shocked by Hyakkimaru's sudden appearance, the false nuns scattered in all directions.
"Let's round up the villagers," Hyakkimaru said to Dororo. "We'll catch them before they escape!"
Hyakkimaru chased the false nuns into the forest.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 129]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You all fight dirty, ganging up on a kid! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Dororo tried to win free, but his body was covered head-to-toe in sticky white threads. Unable to move, the false nuns tripped him, then pinned him to the floor with even more white threads.
Maimai Onba approached, holding something swaddled in her arms. She laughed. "Isn't she adorable? You'll make a perfect meal for her." Maimai Onba cooed to her swaddled child, then set it on the floor next to Dororo.
The monster baby crawled fast toward Dororo on instinct, knowing that he would be food.
"Hey, stop!" Dororo called out. "Stay away from me! Get away!" He shouted as loud as he could, trying to scare the monster baby away.
It didn't work.
The monster baby crawled up Dororo's body. When Dororo looked at it, it flashed its fangs at her.
Hyakkimaru didn't come and save him.
Dororo's last words formed around a scream.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 128]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo! Don't let them escape!" Hyakkimaru called out.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru ran through the forest outside the village and into a swampy area. Many of the villagers followed them, all carrying bamboo spears, farm tools or other makeshift weapons.
The false nuns took shelter in a grove of cedar trees. Seeing that they were surrounded, the false nuns turned away from the trees and jumped into the deep, muddy water of the swamp.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 228]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Hurry! We have to catch them!"
The false nuns swam through the swamp water. With every stroke of their arms, their bodies swelled until they all sank beneath the surface. They let out strange cries--maybe cries for help, or maybe just to pretend that they were drowning. Regardless of which was true, the false nuns were now out of reach, so far under the water that they were no longer visible.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, we did it!" Dororo said. He walked over to Hyakkimaru, who was standing at the very edge of the swamp. "The monsters are all gone!"
"No, not gone. They ran. It's not safe yet. We can't relax until we know for sure that they're all dead."
"What should we do now?" Dororo asked.
"We stay here and lure them out. Fortunately, it's starting to get dark. We can use that. And we need to find Sabame and bring him here."
Hyakkimaru stared hard at the surface of the swamp. Mist gathered along the swamp's edges as the sun went down.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 3: Fight Against Maimai Onba in the Swamp]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 194]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 70]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle6 > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle6 > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle6 > "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 194]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 70]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo, now!"
At the same time, Dororo and Hyakkimaru hurled their torches at Maimai Onba. Her hair and mask burned away like paper. She screamed.
"More! Keep throwing more!" Hyakkimaru shouted. He and Dororo lit more torches on the fire set in the middle of the boat and threw them at Maimai Onba.
The fire enveloped the demon's body in the blink of an eye.
Maimai Onba flew high in the sky, dancing in fire as she cried out in pain. At the apex of her flight, her wings seized up, and she dropped like a stone into the water of the swamp below. The world was darker with her below the water.
The villagers standing at the edges of the swamp were somber and quiet. The sight of the moth monster burning to death in front of them made quite an impression.
Sabame stood in torchlight, surrounded by the villagers who had tasked themselves with apprehending him. With the moth monster gone, all eyes turned toward him.
<<if $maimaionba is false>><<set $maimaionba to true>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-16.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Float Like a Butterfly,<br>Sting Like a Bee<br> for destroying Maimai Onba.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 96]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play>>"Dororo, now! Throw the torch!"
Dororo hurled his pine torch into the center of the swamp, directly at Maimai Onba. Her mask and hair immediately caught fire.
"More!" Hyakkimaru called out.
Dororo lit more torches on the fire in their boat and chucked them at the burning Maimai Onba. Maimai Onba took to the sky as a flame moth. She was so beautiful as she burned that Dororo and Hyakkimaru briefly forgot that they were supposed to be attacking her.
Maimai Onba descended, sweeping Dororo and Hyakkimaru into her burning arms. She laughed gleefully. "If I die, Hyakkimaru, I shall take you and your little friend with me!"
The flames engulfed Dororo and Hyakkimaru. They screamed as they burned. The villagers moved to help them, but too late. The boat they'd been on burned through completely and sank into the swamp.
Maimai Onba, Hyakkimaru and Dororo burned to ashes that blew away.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited7 is false>><<set $visited7 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>>The mass murderer in the streets was making his way toward the village temple. Hyakkimaru and Dororo followed the sounds of screams. They were the only ones heading toward the danger; everyone else fled past them without giving them a second glance.
"Run! Run!" people yelled as they ran. "You'll be killed! Tanosuke's gone insane!"
The mass murderer had a name: Tanosuke. The people of the village recognized him. Maybe he was from the village.
Hyakimaru and Dororo climbed up the temple stairs. The scent of blood was in the air. A man and two women lay strewn across the stairs with their throats cut. All three had been killed with a single sword slash across the front.
The temple was abandoned. There were no people, no stray cats or dogs, not even birds or rats. All was still.
"This is horrible," Dororo said. "I can't look away from it. I've never seen something so cruel."
Hyakkimaru was silent, concentrating on the scene before him. After a short consideration, he said, "Stay here, Dororo," in a voice that brooked no argument.
The mass murderer peeked out from behind a temple pillar with his sword raised. A warrior in appearance, but his white clothes were covered in blood.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 2: Hyakkimaru Confronts Tanosuke]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo tossed something to Hyakkimaru, then jumped off the roof, using the bamboo next to the storehouse to shimmy down.
Hyakkimaru caught what Dororo had thrown: a sack of skin with no flesh or organs. "This is one of the skins that the monsters shed," Hyakkimaru said.
"You know what these are already, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo asked. "The storehouse is full of them."
"We need to burn this storehouse," Hyakkimaru said.
"Is that really a good idea?" Dororo asked, surprised. They risked setting the bamboo on fire, and that fire could spread further.
"We have to. The storehouse is a breeding ground for demons. If we destroy it, we force them out in the open."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 241]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I'm not sure we should do that," Dororo said.
"Why not? What's wrong with burning a monster lair?" Hyakkimaru asked. He located a barn nearby and grabbed a bale of hay in each hand. Straw would help the storehouse burn more easily. He broke the lock on the storehouse, then set the straw on fire with psychokinesis. He thrust the burning straw inside the storehouse, then shut the door.
The contents of the storehouse quickly caught fire, and the whole building went up in flames.
"Sabame," Hyakkimaru said. "All there's left to clean up is Sabame and his wife." He ran toward the main building of the estate. Dororo followed after him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 308]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Hyakkimaru! Why have you set fire to my estate? I'll kill you!" Sabame shouted, running into the back garden with his sword drawn."
"I have no desire to harm you, Sabame," Hyakkimaru said. "All I'm trying to do is kill a monster. I don't understand why you married Maimai Onba, Sabame. Cast her aside now. She is consuming your soul, bit by bit, a little every day. That's why your eyes are so empty."
"How dare you say such things against my wife! I don't care if she <i>is</i> a monster; I still love her!"
"Empty words, said because you are enslaved to her. Wake up and see what you've done!"
"Get out of here, Hyakkimaru!" Sabame said. "Leave, and never return!" He threw his whole body at Hyakkimaru in a sloppy movement that almost caused him to fall.
Hyakkimaru's left sword arm flashed. Two bolts of lightning intersected in the sky, then twisted together to strike Sabame's sword out of his hand. Hyakkimaru shouted for him to see reason as Sabame stumbled back, clutching his burned sword arm.
A huge shadow passed over Hyakkimaru's head. It was Maimai Onba in her moth monster form.
"Will you run away now?" she asked.
Before Hyakkimaru could strike, Maimai Onba ascended into the sky. More shadows rose from the ashes of the storehouse, taking flight.
"Those are Maimai Onba's children!" Dororo called out.
Maimai Onba flew so high that she was lost from view. She was followed by many smaller moth monsters. Dororo and Hyakkimaru were so distracted by their flight that they lost track of Sabame. When they thought to look for him, he was gone.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 217]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play>>"Fire! There's a fire!"
"Help Lord Sabame put out the fire, everyone!"
Villagers finally noticed that Sabame's estate was aflame. Several people came running to help, but when they saw how high the flames were already, they paused at the gate. The fire had spread too far and too fast; there was nothing left for the villagers to do but wait for it to burn down and help survivors.
The three cedar trees in front of the estate remained unburned. The cast huge looming shadows in the light of the fire.
"I hope Lord Sabame and his wife are all right," one of the villagers said.
"I doubt it," another villager said. "Nothing good has happened to this village since his wife moved here."
"Is that so?" Hyakkimaru asked from behind the villagers. "What kinds of bad things have happened?"
"Who are you?" a villager asked. "You don't look familiar."
"Me and my friend are travelers, just passing through," Hyakkimaru said. "We were staying at the estate, but the fire made us flee."
"Did you see what happened to Lord Sabame and his wife?" a villager asked.
"I didn't see what happened to them," Hyakkimaru said, deliberately being disingenuous. "We had to get out fast. The fire is spreading." He looked around at the villagers. "So. You said bad things started to happen when Lord Sabame's wife moved into the estate?"
"Yes. Our orphanage caught fire suddenly. There have been sightings of strange creatures in the sky, and most people don't come out at night for fear of them. Lord Sabame claims to hear children's voices when he comes out of the estate, but he and his wife have no children. Lots of strange things like that have happened around the village since she came."
"I see," Hyakkimaru said. "So Sabame's wife is at the heart of all these disturbances..."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 272]]>><</button>></center>
"Well, you're not imagining things," Hyakkimaru said. "Lord Sabame's wife caused all those things. She's a demon."
"What?" The villagers looked shocked.
"What I said. She transforms into a huge moth."
Fear spread like ripples among the villagers.
"I'm going to need your help," Hyakkimaru said. "We're not dealing with just one or two monsters anymore. There's a horde of them, and they're loose. They'll come back here after the fire burns out, and then we'll all be in trouble."
Some of the villagers grumbled, not trusting Hyakkimaru's words.
"Listen!" Hyakkimaru called out, pitching his voice so it would carry. "The moth monsters fled because of the fire, but they <i>will</i> be back. They will take over your village and consume your souls if you let them. They'll probably come back here disguised as women. Don't let anyone you don't know into the village.
Behind him, the main house collapsed as the fire engulfing the estate burned higher.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 147]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Following Hyakkimaru's guidance, the villagers worked in shifts to guard the road that went through the village and the gate outside of Lord Sabame's estate. Guards on shift carried bamboo spears or farm tools appropriated as weapons. Hyakkimaru and Dororo took shifts themselves, helping the village shore up its defenses.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo were walking through the village on patrol when one of the other guards on shift called out to Hyakkimaru. "Hello! Shouldn't you take a break? You look tired. I've got some tea here for you."
"It's all right," Hyakkimaru said. "I can keep going for a little while longer." He paused to accept the tea, drinking it all in one huge gulp.
"Isn't it good tea? Lord Sabame asked me to give it to you special."
"You've seen Lord Sabame?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Yes, he arrived in the village earlier. He said he'd been looking for his wife in the woods. He asked me to give you tea with this powder in it."
"A powder?"
"He told me it would help you feel less fatigued if I put it in the tea. You did enjoy the tea, right?"
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, are you okay?" Dororo asked.
"The damage is done; I already drank it," Hyakkimaru said grimly. "Let's look for Sabame."
"All right. Let's go."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo asked a few more questions of the guard, then ran as fast as they could down the road that led to the forest outside the village. That was where the guard had seen Sabame last.
As they ran, Hyakkimaru clutched at his gut in pain. "It's like we were afraid of: the tea was poisoned," he gasped out.
"Keep it together, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo said.
"I didn't think she could poison me. I was wrong. Dororo, run. Run and get the antidote from the villagers."
Dororo nodded sharply. "Wait here for me. I'll be right back." He ran off.
<<if $poisoned is false>><<set $poisoned to true>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-13.png"><<audio failfare play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Poisoned.<br> You really did it. You accepted tea from a stranger. Just, why?</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 334 - Dororo is Captured by Maimai Onba]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo ran with all his strength and speed to save Hyakkimaru. He sprinted through the forest until he reached the entrance of the village. He was still moving at top speed when he heard someone behind him.
"Excuse me, little boy. How do I get to the temple from here?"
"Huh?"
Dororo turned, seeing a group of Buddhist nuns in robes as dark as ink and dome-shaped hats that covered their faces.
The nuns bowed. "We have come all this way to witness Jishouni's great compassion. Would you please take us to her?" one of the nuns asked.
"Can't right now, sorry," Dororo said. "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> will die if I'm not fast enough. Ask someone else to show you to the temple."
One of the nuns seized Dororo by the arm before he could run off. "Please! Please, child, guide us!"
"Let me go! There's no time!"
This close up, Dororo could see part of the nun's face. It was Maimai Onba, Sabame's wife, in disguise! All of her long hair was gone: shaven away to help make her disguise as a nun more credible.
Maimai Onba laughed as she tightened her grip on Dororo's arm.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 221]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Aaah! Let me go, let me go you moron! What are you doing?!" Dororo struggled to get free. Maimai Onba dragged him along until they reached the ruins of a burned-out temple.
Maimai Onba laughed brightly. "Now prepare yourself for death, child. You won't be leaving this place alive."
<img src="Images/CheckJ.png"><center><<if $J is "j">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 182]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $J is "J">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 61]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[J is checked.->Scene 182]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[J is not checked.->Scene 61]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Let me go! Hey!" Dororo's whole body was covered in sticky white threads and he was pinned down to the floor of the temple.
"Hohohoho... Look. Isn't she cute? This is my child. Although she looks like a human child at the moment," Maimai Onba said, cradling a baby who looked very similar to herself.
"W-what? You're not saying that the caterpillar monster is your true form, are you?"
"Yes, that's right. You're going to be this child's next meal."
"Aww, no, stop, stop, let me go!" Dororo struggled to get free.
At that moment, one of the support beams holding up the temple roof collapsed. It crushed several false nuns and fell right on top of Maimai Onba.
Maimai Onba narrowly dodged the attack, hid the baby in her bosom, and looked up. Her face changed color. The childlike monster that Hyakkimaru and Dororo had adopted in the grassland and stood on the charred remains of the beam, looking down at the captured Dororo.
"Dororo... Dororo..." The childlike monster beamed. "You've done well. It's time for us to help you."
"You will not interfere, creature." Maimai Onba fluttered the sleeves of her robe, sending a cloud of poisonous scales at the childlike monster.
The childlike monster jumped over the cloud, landing on the beam again. When it landed, it split in pieces with little flashes of light.
Dororo blinked. When he looked around again, he was surrounded by dozens of children. They smiled at Dororo, then changed into white vapor and light.
The vaporous spirits surrounded Maimai Onba and the false nuns like an attacking cloud. They wrapped themselves over the nuns' noses and mouths so that they couldn't breathe. A few of the spirits stayed close to Dororo and cut through the sticky white threads binding him to the floor.
"We are children who lived in this temple orphanage," a spirit said. "The demon burned the temple, and we all died. We waited near the temple for someone strong and brave to arrive to help us."
"You are strong and kind," another spirit said. "Thank you for helping us!"
Dororo heard more children giggling around him.
Hyakkimaru's voice echoed from the temple gate. Dororo cleaned out his ears. Hyakkimaru had been poisoned! There was no way he could be here.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 184]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I have no intention of leaving this village," Hyakkimaru said coldly. "I came here to kill monsters. I didn't bring them with me; they're already here. So let me deal with them and stay out of my way. C'mon, Dororo."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo left Lady Bandai's estate with the villagers glaring at them.
"Where are we gonna go, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?"
"We'll find someplace safe to sleep."
"But what about the monsters?"
"We'll take care of them once we're good and ready."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 250]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru found a hovel that was about to collapse and crawled into it.
"Perfect! We can hole up here and plan what to do about the monster," Hyakkimaru said.
The two of them cleared space on the hovel's floor, then built a small fire under a hole in the roof. The fire suddenly went berserk, sparking toward the walls and smoking so much that Dororo was lost to view.
"Dororo, get out of here!" Hyakkimaru said. "It's not our fire! The villagers set fire to the outside of the hut!"
Hyakkimaru and Dororo crawled back outside as the flames burned all around them. A hoe came down on Hyakkimaru's head, and a scythe narrowly missed cutting Dororo.
Dozens of villagers came out of the smoke, holding tools or weapons. Hyakkimaru and Dororo didn't have time to stand before they were overwhelmed.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo inhaled smoke and tried to dodge the villagers' attacks, but there were too many of them. They never stood up again.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited10 is false>><<set $visited10 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio wreck play>>The demon fox bared its fangs and pounced on Hyakkimaru.
With a loud cry to focus his next blow, Hyakkimaru ducked under the fox demon's attack and slashed it across the throat with his sword. The head went flying--but not very far.
As Hyakkimaru watched, the fox head lifted off the ground of its own accord and shot straight for him. The fox demon's fangs tore his throat out before he could blink.
Hyakkimaru fell into a pool of his own blood.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited6 is false>><<set $visited6 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>>"What should we do with him?" one of the villagers asked.
Sabame gazed out at the villagers in the torchlight through his cold, dead eyes.
"He's a horrible person. To think he made a monster his wife!"
"He would have let the monsters take over the village!"
"We shouldn't let a man like that live."
The villagers closed in on Sabame with their weapons and their torches. None of them looked friendly.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>... there's something wrong with these people," Dororo said as he extinguished the fire in the boat they stood on and guided it toward the shore.
<center><<button[[Intercede on Sabame's behalf.->Scene 212]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[You killed the monster already. Who cares about Sabame? You decide to move on.->Scene 115]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio drip play loop>><i>Click.</i> The door of the hut was shut and locked, with Dororo and Hyakkimaru inside. The footsteps of the villagers who had brought them there on Lady Bandai's orders faded into the night. They had left a lamp behind, though it was almost out of fuel and wouldn't burn much longer.
The hut was large enough to require support to shore up the roof. Each corner had a support pillar the girth of a young tree. Dororo and Hyakkimaru were tied to one of these pillars with their hands tied around their backs. Cobwebs hung thick over their heads.
The main feature of the hut was the stone well in the very center.
The air was thick with humidity. The well dripped, sound echoing in the enclosed space. Otherwise, there was no sound.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 244]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Lord Sabame's estate was large and imposing. From the magnificent wrought-iron gates alone, it was possible to tell that he was a wealthy and prominent man in the region. Because of three tall cedar trees standing just outside, the locals nicknamed the estate Sabame's Cedar Mansion.
Hyakkimaru sensed an aura of great evil hovering around the estate.
"Dororo, get ready," he said quietly. "I think we've got a hard fight ahead of us."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 168]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru didn't so much as twitch in response to the voice. Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis gave him keen senses, so the idea that he couldn't see the spirit hulking over him was absurd. An ordinary person wouldn't be able to sleep through the spirit's appearance here, and Hyakkimaru was no ordinary person.
The spirit waited awhile, then seemed to give up. Turning its back to Hyakkimaru, the spirit returned to the river, walked over it and into the trees. Then it was gone as if it had never existed.
Dororo was sweating all over and his heart was pounding with the effort of controlling his fear and keeping still.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 138]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru jumped from ledge to ledge along a cliff face outside the village. When he glanced behind him, he noticed Dororo huffing and puffing to keep up.
<i>He sure is persistent.</i>
Suddenly, a malevolent force tendrilled out from the ledge below, causing it to collapse. Hyakkimaru jumped to the next ledge before he fell. Some of the rubble from the collapsed ledge dropped straight on Dororo's head.
"Ow!" Dororo grabbed his head to protect it and jumped to a different ledge.
<img src="Images/CheckA.png">
<center><<if $A is "a">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 262]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $A is "A">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 108]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[A is checked.->Scene 262]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[A is not checked.->Scene 108]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
Around midnight, Hyakkimaru woke up suddenly. The evil aura he sensed all around him was growing stronger. Dororo slept curled up next to him.
Moving carefully so that Dororo wouldn't wake, Hyakkimaru sat up and took a closer look at the battle-scarred wall. Where was the evil aura coming from? He couldn't sense anyone nearby. He got slowly to his feet and walked along the wall in silence, all his senses on high alert.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 130]]>><</button>></center>
It was late. The moon was half-hidden by clouds. Dororo and Hyakkimaru slept fitfully near the wall.
The ground near Dororo shifted, then parted to reveal a human skeleton. The skeletal arm reached out and touched Dororo's leg.
"Hehehe, stop it, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo mumbled in her sleep.
Hyakkimaru was awake. He attacked the skeleton arm with his sword arm, then stood up.
"Wha?" Dororo opened one eye, then scrabbled backward as he realized they were in danger.
Dororo screamed as the skeleton popped up from the ground. In one hand, it held a sharp sword aimed at Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru pointed his right sword arm at the skeleton.
"How can a skeleton move?! Isn't it dead?" Dororo whispered.
"This guy is being controlled by a demon. Dororo, don't move from behind me." Dororo crouched down behind Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 238]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru ran through the village streets, searching for Dororo.
<i>I will take you away from this place with me,</i> Hyakkimaru promised to himself. <i>Where are you, Dororo?</i>
He didn't blame Dororo for what was happening. It was all that demon-possessed sword's fault that Dororo was attacking people. Hyakkimaru wished he'd destroyed the sword earlier, but it was too late for regrets.
The problem was that no one else would believe that Dororo wasn't acting of his own free will. He had to catch up to Dororo and save him before someone else tried to kill him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 123]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo swept through the village streets like a god of vengeance and blood. No trace of the child he was lingered in his eyes. The sword in his hands had transformed him into a stone-cold killer.
Women, children and the elderly huddled in their locked homes and stayed very quiet as Dororo passed.
Dororo, more than a little crazy, locked himself in the blacksmith's smithy. "C'mon, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo muttered to himself, temporarily breaking free of the sword's grip on his free will. "I can only help ya so much, here. You gotta stop me..."
The long-haired warrior that Dororo and Hyakkimaru had met on the road outside the village found Dororo in the smithy first. Some of the braver villagers appealed for his aid.
The warrior nodded. "Set fire to the smithy. When the murderer comes out, knock them unconscious and take the sword from their hands." His smile was as cold as ice.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 285]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The men of the village completed their preparations to burn the smithy, following the warrior's plan. They threw a dozen or more pine torches onto the smithy's roof. It immediately caught fire, spreading to the walls within seconds.
All of Dororo's strength and attention was on the demon-possessed sword, but he couldn't ignore the fire. He coughed smoke and got low so that he wouldn't breathe in too much of it.
<i>I can't stay in here much longer.</i>
Dororo unlocked the smithy door before it could burn and ran outside.
The men waiting in ambush pelted Dororo with stones.
"Harder! Throw harder!" the warrior called to the men.
Dororo was struck over and over again and fell face-first into the street. The sword in his hand clattered away, straight toward the warrior.
The warrior picked up the sword, smiling with chilly enthusiasm. Murderous intent rippled off of him in waves.
The villagers were furious with Dororo for causing such a disturbance and didn't stop pelting him with stones. When he didn't fight back, the villagers punched and kicked at him where he lay helpless on the ground. No one noticed any change in the warrior's demeanor except for Dororo.
"Kill him!" some of the men cried. Villagers armed with bamboo staves came to the front of the crowd, prepared to beat Dororo to death.
And then the sea of villagers parted as if cut in half by a miracle, revealing Hyakkimaru. He ran at Dororo so fast that the villagers struggled to avoid being trampled by him. He knelt down to Dororo and picked him up. "Look at this mess you got yourself in," he said as he sprinted away from the villagers, a very injured Dororo in his arms.
"I wanted to be cool," Dororo mumbled.
The villagers reacted. They now knew that Hyakkimaru was Dororo's ally and threw stones at his legs as he tried to flee. "The criminals are getting away!"
A blood-curdling scream echoed in the street behind Dororo and Hyakkimaru. The villagers were distracted from giving chase, turning toward the sound of the terrible scream.
A man from the village splayed in the center of the street, dead from a single sword slash that cut him deeply from shoulder to navel. The warrior stood over him, holding the demon-possessed sword in one hand.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 2: Hyakkimaru Confronts Tanosuke]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The statue of the demon had seemed inert, but the presence of Dororo and Hyakkimaru caused it to awaken, radiating waves of hatred.
"Another demon," Hyakkimaru said. "Well, we won't let it get warmed up." He launched his left sword arm directly between the demon statue's eyes.
The statue screamed.
The temple around Dororo and Hyakkimaru shook as if it were about to cave in. All light faded from the statue. The temple went dark.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 237]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru ran in the dark, coming to a wooden wall that blocked their passage. It was so dark that they couldn't even see the hands in front of their faces. As they looked for a gap in the wall, tiny foxfires came to life all around them.
<img src="Images/CheckR.png">
<center><<if $R is "r">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 296]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $R is "R">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 162]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $test is true>><<button[[R is checked.->Scene 296]]>><</button>>
<<button[[R is not checked.->Scene 162]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The foxfires reappeared, and in them was the form of a fox with nine tails of flame. Hyakkimaru readied his sword, prepared to fight.
"Hyakkimaru! Don't you want to meet your real parents?" the fox demon asked.
"You're trying to confuse me," Hyakkimaru said to the fox demon. "It won't work."
"I see. I believe I am coming to understand you better, Hyakkimaru." The fox demon laughed, then vanished with a pop.
<center>DORORO ADVENTURE NOVEL - PERFECT END</center>
<<if $perfect is false>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $perfect to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-14.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Perfect End<br> for discovering the true end of the game.<br>Finding the true end unlocks New Game+ from the main menu. </i></center><<else>><</if>><<if $newgame is false>><<set $newgame to true>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $end to true>>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A voice echoed from the dancing foxfires, laughing at Dororo and Hyakkimaru as they searched for a way out. "Hyakkimaru! Ha! Listen to me."
Dororo's mouth hung open. "Foxfires can <i>talk</i>?"
"Hyakkimaru!" The foxfires continued speaking, ignoring Dororo. "There is a warrior who patrols near Banmon, an old wall that marks what remains of an older fortress. That warrior--he is your father."
Hyakkimaru glared at the foxfires. "What?"
"His name is Daigo Kagemitsu. Your mother also lives. Her name is Nui no Kata. You have a younger brother, as well. His name is Tahoumaru."
"You're lying," Hyakkimaru said. "I have no parents."
"Idiot! Simpleton! All people have parents. Make inquiries at the Daigo Clan's estate, and you shall see for yourself."
"You're trying to trick me," Hyakkimaru said. "That's what demons do." He drew his sword and slashed at the foxfire.
The glimmering foxfires all around them vanished with a popping sound.
Hyakkimaru went to his knees, his face pale. "I have parents," he said quietly. "Parents who abandoned me. Parents who sold pieces of my body... but why?"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 18]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Kagemitsu stood waiting for Hyakkimaru in a courtyard, spear in hand.
"Kagemitsu Daigo. I heard you were my father, but I don't think parents who mutilate and abandon their children count as parents anymore."
Hyakkimaru lunged with his sword, and Kagemitsu caught his sword on his spear shaft. Kagemitsu tried to stab Hyakkimaru, who jumped over his spearhead.
Nui no Kata and Tahoumaru appeared in the doorway leading into the courtyard, hugging one another. "Please, stop!" Nui no Kata pleaded.
"If you're my brother, you won't do this," Tahoumaru said.
Hyakkimaru launched his left sword at Kagemitsu's throat. The sword cut through it completely, severing his head.
Nui no Kata and Tahoumaru screamed.
Hyakkimaru raised his sword to them, but one look at their weeping faces told him that they were no threat to him. His sword arm shook, and he lowered his weapon.
Hyakkimaru ran outside, leaving his grieving mother and brother behind him. Until he started running, he didn't feel the tears on his own face.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 219]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo picked up the pace as the rock ledges turned unstable under their feet. A demon was attacking, albeit subtly, and they had to get out of range.
"I'm... out.. of... breath," Dororo gasped out, stumbling and falling. He couldn't run another step.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 76]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A large stone rolled in front of Dororo. With his path blocked, there was no way forward. Then the cliff face itself collapsed, sliding as the earth tilted beneath their feet.
"This is the work of a demon! You have to run!" Hyakkimaru shouted to Dororo.
"I can't run with that rock in the way!"
Hyakkimaru bit back a curse. A flaming ball of molten rock rolled down the mountainside, directly at him.
Hyakkimaru jumped over the stone, rubbing briefly at his abused feet. "Ow ow ow... show yourself, demon!"
As the stones shifted in the landslide, a path opened up for Dororo to follow. He sprinted as fast as he could down the mountain.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 260]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru kicked Dororo in the tailbone to get him moving again. Dororo sprang up with an indignant, "Hey!"
"You have to run!" Hyakkimaru called back to him. "If you don't, you're dead!"
Huge rocks fell like hail on their undefended heads as they kept running. Hyakkimaru deflected the largest of the rocks with his weapons so that Dororo wouldn't be crushed.
"We're almost there!" Hyakkimaru shouted when he sighted the edge of the cliff.
They jumped from the cliff edge and rolled down a gentle slope that connected to a forest path. Safe at last.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 48]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Now you should understand why it's so dangerous to follow me," Hyakkimaru said to Dororo. He pushed past him and walked briskly away.
Dororo still followed. "Uh... could you stop, please? For little ol' me?" Dororo asked in a cloying voice.
"Don't talk like that."
Dororo laughed. "You didn't tell me not to talk at all."
Hyakkimaru gave up on convincing Dororo to leave for the moment. What a strange child he was. "Fine, do what you want."
"I was always going to. And what I want is your sword, remember."
Dororo skipped happily after Hyakkimaru as they walked down the forest path.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 264]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio night_forest play>>That night, Dororo and Hyakkimaru set up camp inside an abandoned house on the outskirts of a village. Dororo went scrounging for food and found more than enough wild nuts and berries for both of them to have a meal.
They lay down to sleep, listening to the crickets chirping as dusk changed to night.
"I haven't slept beside another person in a long time," Dororo reflected as his eyes drooped.
"Hm? What did you say, kid?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Don't call me 'kid.' I'm Dororo. Call me that. We're brothers, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
"All right, Dororo. Why have you been on your own so long? Where are your parents?"
Dororo didn't say anything for a long while.
"I see. They died," Hyakkimaru said.
"How do you know that?"
"You had to think about it for awhile. If they were still around, you wouldn't have had to think about it at all."
Hyakkimaru felt sorry that Dororo was an orphan. He'd never known his parents and was well-acquainted with feelings of loneliness. How long had Dororo been on his own--truly on his own?
By the time Hyakkimaru thought to ask him, Dororo was sound asleep.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 109]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The sky the next morning was a sheet of gray storm clouds. Dororo showed no inclination to cease his persistent following of Hyakkimaru, but Hyakkimaru made the effort to distract him anyway.
"Dororo, you keep going down the path. I'll cut through the field and meet you when you catch up."
"Nuh-uh," Dororo said. "You promised we'd stick together."
"I didn't promise anything."
"You said I could do what I want. And I'm not leaving until I get that sword in your arm."
"You know I'm going to keep being hunted by demons and spirits. That's a daily occurrence for me."
"Hah! Like Lord Dororo would be afraid of some silly demon or a ghost!"
"You idiot," Hyakkimaru said. "You're going to get yourself killed!" He walked away, across the open field, and didn't need to look to notice Dororo following after him.
Dororo puffed out his chest as they went along. "You said I could do what I want, but you never said that <i>you</i> had to be happy about it, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 30]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>As Dororo and Hyakkimaru cut across the field, the wild grass rustled just ahead. There was no wind. Dororo paused to maybe catch a glimpse of some animal or other.
The wild grass wound around Dororo's ankles and pulled as strong as any rope.
Dororo cried out for help as he yanked at the grass with both hands in the attempt to break it.
Then the grass wound about Dororo's ribs, constricting his breathing.
Hyakkimaru heard Dororo's cry for help and turned around.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 304 - Battle with Grass Snake]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
Dororo was fully entangled in the grass of the field, with only his head poking out.
Hyakkimaru ran up to Dororo. Assessing the situation quickly, he used his left sword arm to cut away the grass, leaving Dororo unharmed.
The grass reformed into the shape of a giant snake that snapped its fangs at Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru dodged. Angered, the snake shot a ball of fire out of its mouth, directly at Hyakkimaru's head.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the grass snake. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Grass Snake - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Grass Snake - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 243]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 139]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "250">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "250">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "250">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "250">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "250">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 243]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "250">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 139]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle3 > "250">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle3 > "250">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle3 < "250">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "250">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle3 > "250">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 243]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "250">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 139]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The grass snake collapsed into nothing when it was cut down, but the grass quickly re-formed into another snake, and another, more snakes appearing faster than they could be destroyed.
"Damn it!" In frustration, Hyakkimaru brought his right sword down on the earth beneath his feet.
Blood gushed like a fountain from the injured earth. The snakes around him writhed and collapsed to the dirt. No more grass snakes rose up to attack.
Dororo sat to the side of the battlefield, crying a little from his fear of the battle and the pain of his injuries.
"It's okay now, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said. "This is why you need to be careful. How badly are you hurt?"
Dororo didn't answer. He seemed inconsolable. Hyakkimaru picked him up carefully, then started walking again.
Dororo laughed as they bounced a little with every step. There was no sign that he'd ever been crying.
"You... did you trick me so you wouldn't have to walk?" Hyakkimaru asked.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 142]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Sabame made his choices, and now he has to deal with them."
"I dunno, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. That doesn't feel right to me," Dororo said.
"Our part in this is over. Sabame is responsible for letting the demon run rampant in this village. He should be held responsible for the consequences of his actions."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo walked away, vanishing into the darkness. They didn't give Sabame or the villagers a second glance.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 15: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Find a Village]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The villagers were out for blood. They surrounded Sabame.
"Snap out of it!" Hyakkimaru called out from the boat. "Sabame is not your enemy! If you harm him, you'll have to answer to me!"
The villagers kept Sabame encircled, but no one attacked. Hyakkimaru and Dororo reached the shore and jumped off their boat.
In the light of the torches, Hyakkimaru looked into the faces of the villagers. "Is there anyone here brave enough to stand against me? Or will you let Sabame go?"
The villagers stepped back from him, but their desire to harm Sabame was clear in their expressions.
"I asked for your help to defeat a monster, and now that monster is defeated. Go home. Sabame is not a monster for you to kill. He's a person, like you are."
Some of the villagers had the sense to look ashamed of themselves. All of them knew better than to challenge Hyakkimaru. They turned away from Sabame and revenge and returned to their homes.
"I don't know how to thank you," Sabame said. "I really don't know what came over me. I swear that I'll do all I can to make it up to the villagers from now on. I can't blame them for wanting to kill me."
In the middle of listening to Sabame's heartfelt repentance, Hyakkimaru clutched his lower leg with a pained grunt. "That feels... wrong..."
And then Hyakkimaru screamed.
Check <b>P</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $P="p">>
<<if $persuasive is false>><<set $kind=$kind+1>><<set $persuasive to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-17.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Persuasive<br> for reasoning with an angry mob.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 276 - Hyakkimaru Regains His Right Leg]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, what's wrong?"
"It's... it's unbearable, unbearable pain. It hurts like lightning hitting my right thigh."
The villagers in the distance and Sabame beside him didn't understand what was happening. They could only watch as Hyakkimaru suffered.
There was a slight thud as Hyakkimaru's prosthetic leg fell off his right knee.
Sabame's dead fish eyes opened wide.
Suddenly, the pain disappeared--or at least it was mild enough that Hyakkimaru could endure it. Before his eyes, the flesh of his hip expanded downward, warm and soothing, into a lump of fleshy clay.
"A leg! A right leg! <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, your right leg is growing in!" Dororo exclaimed happily.
Hyakkimaru's right leg solidified to the knee. From there, it grew down to the ankles, and finally, the feet popped into place, along with ten distinct toes.
The villagers' expressions turned severe. The fear and confusion of seeing something so strange made them view Hyakkimaru as other and alien, and they wanted nothing to do with him.
"To think that he was a monster, too!"
Some villagers screamed in fear and ran.
“That’s right…his leg came off and grew back like that! No matter how you look at it, he’s not human."
"Monster! Leave the village now before you kill us all!"
"Get out of here!"
"Shit. We kill your monster for you, and <i>this</i> is how you repay us?" Dororo asked, stomping his foot to emphasize his point. "Don't call <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> a monster! He saved you and he didn't have to!"
"That's enough, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said quietly. "We've dealt with the monster here, so there's no reason for us to stay." He got to his feet, wobbling as he got used to the presence of his leg. "Let's go."
Hyakkimaru set his real foot to the ground for the first time and started walking. Dororo followed after, still grumbling as they left the ungrateful village.
<<if $right_leg is false>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $right_leg to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-18.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - A Leg to Stand On<br> for getting your right leg back from Maimai Onba.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center>Increase Hyakkimaru's Experience Points by 30.
<<set $experience_h=$experience_h +30>>
Decrease Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power by 30.</center>
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power - 30>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 66]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Yo, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. Why didn't we tell that guy that we saw the spirit last night?" Dororo whispered.
"I have no interest in a spirit like that. It's completely harmless, and not a monster," Hyakkimaru said.
"Maybe there's a bigger monster nearby!" Dororo said, voice high-pitched and enthusiastic. "Let's look around the village, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
<center><<button[[Look around->Scene 234]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Leave the village->Scene 17]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru looked around the village. Its most notable feature was a large estate surrounded by old-wood cedar trees and built of pure white stone. Hyakkimaru walked along the outer walls of the estate and felt the tell-tale signs of a demonic presence in the air.
"Dororo," he said, resting one hand on the wall. "I'm glad we decided to learn more about this village."
"Oh? Why?" Dororo appeared puzzled.
Hyakkimaru didn't respond. He waved to a farmer who was working outside the estate and asked who the owner was.
"You're from out of town, ain't ya?" the farmer asked, all friendliness. "This here is Lady Bandai's estate."
"Lady Bandai?"
"Oh, yes. She's the village benefactress. She's young and kind and beautiful, and I can't say anything bad about her because there isn't anything."
"I see," Hyakkimaru said. He thanked the farmer for his time, then approached the gates of Lady Bandai's estate.
"There's a demonic presence inside this estate," Hyakkimaru said. "I can sense it all over the whole village, in fact. I suspect they're all in on it."
"What does that mean?" Dororo asked.
"It means we're going in," Hyakkimaru said. "And we're going to be careful."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 327 - Hyakkimaru and Dororo Seek Shelter at Bandai's Estate]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio faraway play>>There wasn't another living soul on the road as Dororo and Hyakkimaru left the village. Their hearts were heavy, and neither of them felt much like talking. There was unfinished business in that village. There was a reason that the <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span> spirit haunted it, and they had not discovered it.
The sound of a biwa echoed through the trees along the side of the road. Hyakkimaru hadn't heard a biwa played in a long time, and the sound filled him with a pleasant nostalgia.
"Why hello there! Why the long faces, you two?" Semimaru the monk asked, pausing in his playing to greet them. He sat on the roots of a pine tree near the road, in heavy shade so it was cool.
"You and I seem to meet at the strangest times," Semimaru said. "Still, I would never have expected to meet you here. But, come. Have a seat and rest with me awhile."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo sat down next to Semimaru.
"I am wondering... why are you here?" Semimaru asked. "Surely you didn't choose to become a monster, Hyakkimaru, or I would have heard rumors on the road. Still, there is something wrong about you being here, in this moment. Perhaps you could have fought a demon, but turned away from that chance. It doesn't sound like you. You were the one who wanted to defeat the demons to restore your body."
After a pause, Biwamaru asked, "What do you think? Do you want to turn back and face the demon? Or keep going, leaving that opportunity behind?"
Check <b>Z</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $Z="z">>
<center><<button[[Return to the village.->Scene 151]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Leave the village behind.->Scene 259]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Excuse me!" Hyakkimaru called out, pitching his voice to carry. "We're simple travelers, looking for a place to stay for the night."
"What? You're asking for us to stay here, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo whispered. "D'you really think they'll let us?"
To Dororo's surprise, the gate to Lady Bandai's estate opened a few moments later, and they were ushered inside.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 45]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I doubt you are so ignorant of <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span> as you pretend to be," Lady Bandai said. "I have heard reports of what you said to one another in the village." Her voice was stern.
"I said I don't know anything about it, and I don't," Hyakkimaru said. No amount of pressure from Lady Bandai got him to admit the truth of what he'd seen.
"Well, then," Lady Bandai snapped, "if you really forgot all about what you saw, perhaps I have a way to help you remember."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 271]]>><</button>></center>
Time passed slowly. The first change that Hyakkimaru noticed was that the well stopped dripping. In the stillness, he heard something creeping up the sides of the well. He concentrated, straining his psychokinetic senses so that he could learn as much about the monster as possible before it appeared.
"Dororo, get ready," Hyakkimaru said. "The monster's coming for us now."
Dororo and Hyakkimaru held their breath as they looked down into the well's opening. Even Dororo, lacking enhanced senses, could hear the monster's approach now.
In the light of the lamp the villager had left behind, Dororo and Hyakkimaru saw one slimy tentacle cling to the lip of the well and pull up.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 302 - Battle with the Well Monster]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
The first tentacle was followed by another, and another. A huge black mass cleared the well and jumped to the ground.
The monster was hideous and bizarre. It body was squat like a toad's and covered in shiny black tentacles. It breathed out the smells of mildew, rot and decaying flesh. Two large, carious yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.
The monster made a sound somewhere between a scream and a growl and attacked.
Hyakkimaru pulled off both his prosthetic arms in a flash, freeing his body from the ropes at the same time. In a blink, he was up, and his nameless sword pierced the monster in the face.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the well monster. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Well Monster - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Well Monster - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 106]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 74]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "360">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "360">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 106]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 74]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle3 > "360">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle3 > "360">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle3 > "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 106]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 74]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The monster fled down the well with an agonized shriek.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, cut me loose!" Dororo said.
Hyakkimaru cut through the ropes binding Dororo to the pillar. Then he stood by the opening of the well, waiting for the monster to re-emerge.
But the monster didn't come back.
Dororo relaxed, since it seemed the like danger had passed. "Let's explore the well."
Hyakkimaru gave Dororo an odd look. "Just because the monster isn't here, that doesn't mean the well is safe. We wouldn't be cleaning it out. We'd be hunting the injured monster, and it might lure us into a trap."
"But if we stay here, we'll never find it," Dororo said. "If I was scared of monsters, I never would have agreed to travel with ya, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
He brought the lamp closer to the well and used the light to tie firm knots in all the ropes that had bound them to the pillar. After all the ropes were tied together, he wrapped one end around a pillar several times and tied it fast. Then he used the rope to lower himself down into the well.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 26]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru stabbed the monster in the head. Each stab made sickening squishing sounds. The monster flung him off, and he crashed against the wall of the hut.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, hurry! Cut my ropes already!" Dororo called out.
Hyakkimaru got up and cut through Dororo's ropes. This gave the monster time to attack Hyakkimaru when he was off-guard. The monster's numerous tentacles pinned Hyakkimaru down, and then it unhinged its jaw to swallow him whole, starting from his head.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo cowered.
The monster was covered in its own green blood as its wounds seeped. In the blink of an eye, it devoured Hyakkimaru, sword arms and all.
Dororo let out a low cry, then turned and fled from the monster. The door to the hut was unlocked, and he ran off into the night.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 325]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A foul, rotting stench assaulted Dororo's nose as he descended. "Ugh! That monster stinks!" His voice echoed inside the well. "Say, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. I wonder what the connection is between Lady Bandai and that spirit we saw. And what they have to do with the monster."
"How much do you want to find out?" Hyakkimaru asked. He was also lowering himself into the well. "You're risking your life for curiosity right now."
"Sure. Just another ordinary day."
They reached the bottom of the well and jumped off the rope. The first thing Dororo felt under his feet was watery sludge. Then he walked around, and his foot crunched on something solid.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..." Dororo retreated to Hyakkimaru's side. He had stepped on the leg of a human skeleton.
Hyakkimaru looked at the skeleton in the light of the failing lamp. "I see. So the villagers feed people to the monster. That's why they ask travelers about <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span>. It's an excuse to throw them in the well room."
More skeletons littered the floor of the well. As Dororo picked his way through the graveyard, he discovered a passageway. Faint light shone from the opening.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 305 - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Investigate the Well]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The sides of the passageway were stained with a greenish liquid. Hyakkimaru touched it with prosthetic fingers. "The blood of the monster," he said. "It fled through here."
"I can feel air through this passage, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo said. "It must go to the surface. I'll scout ahead."
"Wait, Dororo. We don't know if this monster is waiting at the other end to ambush you."
"Don't worry about me," Dororo said. "It's hurt, and I'll run if I see it." He raised the lamp high over his head and went down the passage. Hyakkimaru could follow, but he'd have to walk bent double for a long way or crawl on his belly to fit. Even Dororo had to crawl in spots.
The green blood made a clear trail for Dororo to follow. There was no other sign of the monster.
After crawling along for awhile, Dororo saw brighter light ahead. Dororo blew out the lamp he held and crawled toward the light. He pushed himself out of the narrow gap and spilled, almost silently, into a hallway.
A hallway in Lady Bandai's estate, judging by the furnishings he could see. Stealthily, moving from shadow to shadow, Dororo explored the estate, searching for some sign of the monster.
Unfortunately, a servant bumped into him in the half-dark and immediately panicked.
"Thief in the estate! Catch them! Don't let them get away!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 117]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Who the hell are do you think you are?! Did you just run away from the hut where we put you? What an insolent child!"
The servant shouted abuse at Dororo, who was now hanging upside down from a tree branch. "Shut up! You're tying up people without telling them why! You're feeding people to that monster!"
"I'll make sure you can never speak so brashly ever again!" The servant let out a cry, and then he and his fellows fell to beating Dororo with clubs.
Hyakkimaru, out of breath, pulled two men away from Dororo, then snarled in rage: "Stop! Don't lay a hand on that kid! If you do, I'll cut you down!"
The men with clubs surged toward Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru ran at them, spinning in circles. The men screamed as their weapons were lashed clean through by Hyakkimaru's sword arms, his body swirling with the wind.
"I'll spare your lives if you leave now." Hyakkimaru gave a cold glance to the men, who were pale and trembling, and then cut Dororo down from the tree branch. He caught him as he fell so that he wouldn't be hurt further.
"What now?" Dororo asked.
"We still haven't found the monster. Let's go."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 242]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio home play>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>... <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> was eaten by a monster!"
Dororo was so angry, and he felt so empty. He cried as he ran through the village. The people who'd brought him and Hyakkimaru to the hut with the well recaptured him and started beating him, but Dororo didn't feel any pain. Hyakkimaru's death left him numb.
"How dare you run from your just punishment!" a villager said. He gathered others, and together they started beating Dororo with clubs.
Dororo felt nothing. His vision faded at the edges, then went dark. It was like going to sleep and not waking up.
When Dororo opened his eyes, he was in a beautiful meadow. Flowers bloomed all around him. He looked around and saw someone waving to him from a nearby hilltop.
It was Hyakkimaru.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! I thought you were dead! Don't scare me like that!" Dororo said as he climbed the hill.
Hyakkimaru waited for Dororo to catch up, and they walked through the meadow together.
<<if $together is false>><<set $together to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-19.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Stay Together<br>for dying to save your friend and finding them in the afterlife.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<if $visited8 is false>><<set $visited8 to true>><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "430">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "430">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "430">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 277 - Snake of Flame]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "430">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "430">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "430">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 196]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle13 > "430">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle13 > "430">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle13 > "430">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 314]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle13 < "430">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle13 < "430">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle13 < "430">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 63]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo's clothes caught fire, and he rolled to put the fire out.
Hyakkimaru stabbed the toad through the eyes, then the centipede. The flames scattered into nothing, and then there was only the snake left.
The snake of flame winked one eye, and then it vanished.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 255]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play>>The flames engulfed Dororo and Hyakkimaru, and they fell over each other in attempting to protect one another. By the time the fire burned out, all that remained was a black X on the floor where they'd fallen.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited9 is false>><<set $visited9 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo crept around the back of Lady Bandai's estate, looking for signs of the monster. They didn't even find an ordinary cat, much less a monster. All was quiet outside the earthen walls. The bamboo growing outside could have hidden the monster, but they heard no rustling when they searched.
"How weird, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. Monsters can't just disappear, can they?"
Several shadows fell over Hyakkimaru and Dororo, stretching out from the top of the wall in the white light of the moon.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 28]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>It was the villagers. They had heard Dororo and Hyakkimaru sneaking around the estate and came to investigate.
"Whoa! Look at that boy's arm!"
The villagers took in the sight of Hyakkimaru's exposed sword arm and came no closer.
"Is something wrong?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Is it really so unusual to have swords instead of arms? I'll tell you all a secret: my whole body is like this. Mechanical parts." He nodded to Dororo, who pulled off his other arm so that all the villagers could see.
There was a collective gasp as Hyakkimaru pointed his sword arm directly at them.
Then Hyakkimaru used psychokinesis to lift his prosthetic arms up and move the fingers.
Dororo laughed. "I never knew you could do that trick!"
The villagers backed away as a group. One of the braver ones said, "Go! Get out of here, you freaks!"
"Hey!" Dororo said.
"We don't allow monsters like you in our village?"
"What did you say?" Hyakkimaru asked. His expression altered in an instant.
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru try reasoning with the villagers.->Scene 307]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru force their way past the villagers.->Scene 125]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>> "Wait, wait, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. Calm down and leave this to me." Dororo calmed Hyakkimaru, then stood between him and the villagers as if to mediate between them. "Listen, guys. My <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> here came to kill the monster in this village."
"You're lying, and trying to trick us. Why would a stranger come here and kill a monster for us when we didn't even ask?"
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> is just that kind-hearted!" Dororo said brightly.
"You are a strange child," one of the villagers said.
"And we don't trust you."
Dororo nodded. "Okay, okay. How about this? While <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> looks for proof of the monster in your village, you can keep me here as your hostage. I promise we won't cause any trouble to anything that's not a monster."
Some of the villagers appeared speculative. "Well... perhaps that could work out for everyone."
"Perfect!" Dororo said. "I'll stay here with you, and <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> can perform his monster extermination in peace. Everyone wins!"
<<if $hostage is false>><<set $hostage to true>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><img src="Images/Achievement-20.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Hostage Negotiator<br> for striking a bargain with suspicious villagers.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
Just as the bargain was struck, there was a blood-curdling scream coming from the village square. "Someone! Someone please help me! There's a monster!" A woman was calling for help.
"Damn it, the thing's already attacked. Dororo, you and the villagers run in the <i>opposite</i> direction of the monster. I'll go deal with this." Then he was off, moving fast as a bird in flight.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 216]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru took one step away from the wall when he saw it: an eerie yellow light in the darkness. Hyakkimaru unsheathed the sword at his hip, and the yellow light grew into an open flame. The flame split in two, four, eight, sixteen... they moved in a semicircle around Hyakkimaru, fencing him in.
"Come out, demon!" Hyakkimaru said, sword extended at the flames. "I know you're here somewhere!"
The flames burned out, leaving behind skeletons wearing tattered armor and bearing rusted weapons.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru fights the skeletons.->Scene 39]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru returns to the wall to protect Dororo.->Scene 192]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The sixteen skeletons flashed in foxfire light, returning to what they had been in life: samurai warriors in the middle of a battle. There were no allies or enemies here; there was only the will of the demon that had reanimated them.
Hyakkimaru's anger swirled inside him. He sent out his psychokinetic senses at them with the force of a shout, and the illusion around them shattered. They were skeletons again.
"Damn it, demon! Fight me yourself!"
The skeletons attacked. One had a bow and aimed for Hyakkimaru's right shoulder. The arrow connected, making Hyakkimaru stumble underneath another blow. He stabbed a spearman through the sternum from below, and the skeleton flew to pieces.
The other skeletons backed up, and Hyakkimaru got to his feet.
The other skeletons vanished in a flash of foxfire.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo's Luck decreases by 3 points.
<<set $luck_d=$luck_d - 3>>
<<set $luck_h=$luck_h - 3>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 247]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 5.</i>
<i>Dororo...</i>
Dororo was back by the wall. Hyakkimaru was worried that he might be under attack. This area was a battleground; a war had been fought here not long ago. If skeletons were reanimating and attacking people, then this was the worst place to be.
Hyakkimaru fought off the skeletons quickly, fighting his way back to Dororo.
Dororo was also under attack; he was fending off a group of four skeletons with a stick. His eyes widened when he noticed that sixteen more skeletons were chasing after Hyakkimaru.
Dororo waved. "I see you brought more friends to play with!"
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo battle the skeletons. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Combined Battle with Skeletons - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Combined Battle with Skeletons - Use 5]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 295]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 218]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Hehehehe..." Dororo extended his hand toward Hyakkimaru's sword arm.
Hyakkimaru put Dororo down and walked away.
"Rude!" Dororo said as he ran to catch up. "I'm not even allowed to touch your arm, huh? It's not like I can steal your sword when it's hidden inside the arm like that."
Hyakkimaru had severely underestimated just now much Dororo wanted to steal the sword in his arm.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 154]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>When Dororo and Hyakkimaru came to, they were in a cave. Mio's spirit appeared before them again, emitting white light in the darkness.
"I know how to get out of this place," Mio said. "I'll show you."
"Get us out of here right now," Dororo said. "I don't wanna be in this monster world anymore!"
Mio led Dororo and Hyakkimaru toward an opening in the cave. Faint light shone through the opening.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 38]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo gaped in astonishment at the monster's transformation.
"Who are you?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"I am Sabame's wife," she said. "My name is Maimai Onba. The shells of people you found in the storehouse were the sheddings of my children. Unlike human children, my own must shed many times before they reach adulthood. A nun at the village temple discovered the secret, so we burned her and her temple to keep her quiet. All the children she was raising died with her."
"So you're a murderer as well as a monster," Hyakkimaru said. "Does Sabame know what you are?"
"Why would he not? I never tried to hide it from him." She looked up. "Do you have any other questions, or should we resume things from here?"
Hyakkimaru raised his sword, but before he could attack again, Maimai Onba threw a smoke bomb at his feet. Hyakkimaru and everyone else were temporarily blinded as Maimai Onba made her escape.
"We can't let her go," Hyakkimaru said when the smoke started to clear. "After her!"
Dororo and Hyakkimaru followed Maimai Onba to Sabame's estate. They searched the place room by room, but came up with nothing.
"We'll have to smoke her out," Hyakkimaru said. "I'm burning this place down." He took a torch and walked around the main house, setting fires everywhere. "Come out, you monster! This will be the end of your miserable life!"
A shadow rose from the flames. It wasn't Maimai Onba, but Sabame. He had his sword drawn, but didn't attack. He jumped out an open window to escape the fire, then pointed his sword at Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 308]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 4.</i>
Hyakkimaru stared at the place where the skeletons had been with some suspicion. He'd only defeated one of them; there was no reason for them to disappear.
He remembered Dororo and ran back to the wall.
When he reached the place where he'd left Dororo sleeping, he saw that Dororo had been taken captive by a group of skeletons. Each skeleton had a limb clenched in their bony fingers.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo called out for help.
Another skeleton lifted a sword to stab Dororo. Its jaw jittered as if it were laughing.
Hyakkimaru aimed his left sword arm at the skeleton with the sword and cast it away from him, directly where the skeleton's heart would be if it still had one.
<i>Hyakkimaru and the skeletons do battle. In this case, since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><<button[[Battle with Skeletons - Random Number]]>><</button>><br><br></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Battle with Skeletons - Use 4]]>><</button>><br><br></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 314]]>><</button>></td><td> </td>
<td><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 63]]>><</button>></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle > "280">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 314]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 63]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle11 > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle11 > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle11 > "280">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 314]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle11 < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle11 < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle11 < "280">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 63]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru's sword disrupted the skeleton attacking Dororo. It flew to pieces, and its comrades carrying Dororo retreated. Dororo struggled free and ran up to Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru put himself between Dororo and the other skeletons. "I'm not sure... but I think I've found the source of all this," he said.
One of the skeletons shone brighter in his psychokinetic senses, as if there was a different animating force inside it. He attacked that skeleton, running it through with one sword arm, then the other.
The skeleton glowed red, then crumbled into ashes that blew away.
The other skeletons collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.
"We should give them a proper burial," Hyakkimaru said. "That should keep them from rising from the dead again."
"Yeah."
Dororo and Hyakkimaru spent some time creating a huge mass grave. They said prayers over the bones of the fallen as they buried them.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 40]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio ghost play>>The skeleton with the sword stared at Hyakkimaru's left sword with open contempt. The left sword halted in midair before it could strike the skeleton, then reversed course, flipping around and flying straight at Hyakkimaru's throat.
There was no time to dodge. Hyakkimaru was run through by his own sword. Blood spurted from his neck as he tried to defend himself. He fell and crawled along the ground for a few moments, but it was obviously hopeless. He died where he fell.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..." Dororo witnessed Hyakkimaru's final moments just before the skeleton's sword pierced him through the stomach.
Dororo screamed, but his screams were brief. Before he died, he heard the jaws of the skeletons rattling in time, as if they were laughing together.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited11 is false>><<set $visited11 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo, why do you keep following me?" Hyakkimaru asked, very serious.
Dororo matched Hyakkimaru's seriousness for a moment, but then nodded to himself and returned to his usual chipper self. "That's easy. I'm a thief, y'see. The best thief there is. And once I got my eye on somethin', no hail or wind or war or fire will stop me from getting it."
"Is that so?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Let me show you something, Dororo."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 10: Hyakkimaru Shows Dororo His Eyes]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"What's going on, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>? Is there something weird here?
"There's a strange aura. I think it's connected to what I felt last night at the estate. I think that if we search the area around here, we'll find something."
The two of them walked into the shadow of the trees that lined the mountain path. Dororo was walking ahead. He sank into the ground with a muffled cry and was gone.
"Dororo?" Hyakkimaru asked. There was a hole in the ground where Dororo had vanished.
Dororo popped his head out of the hole. "C'mon, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," he said. "I think I found something down here!"
Hyakkimaru followed Dororo underground. The muddy earth was littered with...
"...egg shells?" Hyakkimaru asked. There was a thick layer of them on the ground.
Some of the eggs they found were intact. They were huge, as big as a person, and there was movement coming from inside.
"Yep, these are monster eggs: no doubt about it," Hyakkimaru said.
"What should we do with them?"
"Smash them before they hatch," Hyakkimaru said. "If we leave them alone, the monsters will multiply. Then we'll go back to the estate."
"Already? Seems like we only just left."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 55]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Let's take a look inside that storehouse we saw. There's a weird aura around it. I'm pretty sure there's something hidden in there."
Dororo and Hyakkimaru returned from the mountains, sneaked into the estate and made it to the storehouse in the back garden.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 191]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>They both regained consciousness at the same time, but in the darkness, they weren't able to find each other. It wasn't until they spoke that Hyakkimaru realized they were in a strange place.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..."
"Dororo. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Where are we? What's happening?"
Foxfires popped up out of the dark.
"Oh! It's the fox demon again..."
The foxfires burned with a steady glow, allowing Dororo and Hyakkimaru to see one another.
"We're underground," Hyakkimaru said. "Seems to be some kind of cave system. This is the land of demons and spirits--the land of the dead."
Dororo got a weird feeling and put himself at Hyakkimaru's side.
The foxfires multiplied and spread out until there were forty-eight of them in total. Then they all went out at the same time, leaving Dororo and Hyakkimaru in darkness again.
Then the fox demon itself materialized before their eyes.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 195]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Waves of stone poured down the cliffside as it collapsed into the valley below. Hyakkimaru was running out of places to flee to as large stones blocked his escape. He was searching for the best escape route when an enormous centipede popped out of the ground.
"Eat this!" Hyakkimaru slammed his right sword arm into the centipede's carapaced head.
Green blood gushed out of the centipede's head, and it quickly withered away.
The landslide halted, though stones already displaced continued falling.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 301 - Hyakkimaru Rests]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio scream play>>The screams came from a farmhouse next to Lady Bandai's estate, at the edge of a bamboo thicket. Hyakkimaru gasped at the horrific scene.
The farmhouse was gone: all four walls and the roof had fallen over or caved in. The walls were shattered piles of rubble, as if something had crushed them with giant hands.
Hyakkimaru searched the farmhouse for signs of the monster, but the monster was already gone. The bamboo was trampled in places, making a clear path for Hyakkimaru to follow. The wind whistled ominously through bamboo leaves.
Walking warily, all senses alert, Hyakkimaru followed the path the monster had left for him until he sensed an evil aura.
A bamboo spear, sharp as metal at the tip, flew at Hyakkimaru's head.
Hyakkimaru ducked and rolled.
The next moment, some invisible blade chopped down eight bamboo stalks, turning them into makeshift spears. All eight spears shot through the air at Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru revealed his sword arms and spun, shredding the sharp points of the spears before they could touch him.
These were attacks by the demon, and the forest was full of bamboo. He couldn't just allow himself to keep getting attacked without attacking back.
Hyakkimaru charged forward, chopping away all the bamboo in his path.
Deep within the bamboo grove, a huge shadow shifted.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 333 - Hyakkimaru Fights Bandai]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>As they approached the exit, Mio clung to Hyakkimaru. "Please. I won't want to stay here, dead--trapped. You can save me from this place."
"How?"
"Return the pieces of your body that you've restored to the demons. Then they'll let me go."
"What?" Hyakkimaru looked into her face, alarmed by what she was asking.
<center><<button[[Refuse Mio's request.->Scene 310]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hear Mio out.->Scene 248]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, no, you can't!" Dororo protested immediately. "You risked your life to get those parts back, and they should never have been taken from you in the first place!"
"Dororo, enough," Hyakkimaru said. "Some things are more important than my own self. Mio deserves another chance at life, and if I can give it to her, I will." He faced Mio. "Take my body parts back, and then leave this place with us."
"Thank you so much," Mio said, bowing. "You've made me incredibly happy."
In a flash of light, all of the body parts that Hyakkimaru had recovered from demons were shorn off, cleanly and bloodlessly. Hyakkimaru was left as he'd been on the day he was born. Only his artificial pieces remained.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 113]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Is it really a good idea to burn it?" Dororo asked, surprised. They risked setting the bamboo on fire, and that fire could spread further.
"We have to. The storehouse is a breeding ground for the demon. If we destroy it, we might force the demon back out in the open. There's nothing wrong with destroying a monster nest."
Hyakkimaru set the storehouse on fire. The flames spread quickly, engulfing the storehouse and spreading to the bamboo grove.
Sabame ran out of his house, gaping at the burning storehouse in disbelief--and anger. He unsheathed his longsword, pointing it at Hyakkimaru's head.
"How dare you set fire to my property!" Sabame fumed. "I'll kill you for this!"
Hyakkimaru didn't draw his sword. "I don't want want to kill you, Sabame," Hyakkimaru said. "Wake up and see sense. Your wife is a demon. Maybe you didn't know that when you married her, but there's no way that you don't know now. Reject her, while you still can. She's consuming your soul. Your dead eyes were a giveaway."
Dororo called out in alarm. "Aniki! The main house is on fire now!"
Sabame swung his longsword down. Hyakkimaru caught his blade on a sword arm that he exposed in a flash. Hyakkimaru cut Sabame's arm.
Sabame stepped back, cradling his dominant arm.
At that moment, several large figures flew out of the flames consuming the storehouse and the main house. They were headed in the same direction the giant moth monster had gone.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 266]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Mio lifted her head. She shook all over, and her face transformed, revealing a demon's horns and red skin. Her fang-filled grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Demon! Die!" Hyakkimaru readied his nameless sword to fight, but the demon fled from him. He gave chase, but saw no sign of her.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! Wait!" Dororo called out as he ran after him.
A demonic toad, snake and centipede all blocked the path ahead.
Then a voice echoed out of the darkness. "This world is ruled by demons. Do not think that you will ever be permitted to return to your own world."
The toad, snake, and centipede shot fireballs out of their mouths.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 196]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"As thanks for your honesty, I would invite you to remain at this estate as my personal guests for as long as you like," Lady Bandai said. She encouraged Hyakkimaru and Dororo to accept her hospitality with a smile that could melt a heart of ice.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo refuse hospitality and leave.->Scene 82]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo accept Lady Bandai's hospitality.->Scene 140]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Then we will accept with our thanks," Hyakkimaru said graciously.
Lady Bandai gave him and Dororo a polite smile. "Excellent. I shall prepare a suite for your stay."
Dororo had no objections, of course. This looked like a rich and fancy place, and that meant they would be fed well until they decided to leave.
After a few minutes, Hyakkimaru and Dororo were led to a tasteful and elegant suite of rooms prepared for their use.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 231]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I'm sorry, but I've got places to be, so I'll have to decline," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo gaped at him slack-jawed as he got up, bowed to Lady Bandai, and left the room at a brisk walk.
Bandai, too, appeared stunned.
By the time Dororo and Hyakkimaru got back on the road that let out of the village, it was less than an hour before sunset. Hyakkimaru stopped in front of a dilapidated shrine on the side of the road.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 206]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Ch! If we were staying at Lady Bandai's estate, we'd have full bellies and clean clothes and roof over our heads! I can't believe you said no!" Dororo fumed.
The shrine they'd come to was more than half in ruins. The moon rose; evening light and moonlight filtered through holes and cracks in the roof. "Why is this shrine in such a terrible state?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Dororo sat on the floor and glared at him, pouting.
"Dororo, don't sit there," he said. "Get to the corner, there." He pointed.
"Why?"
There was a slithering sound below their feet. Hyakkimaru tensed, preparing to fight.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 93]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A huge toad splintered the floorboards of the dilapidated shrine. It was too large to be an ordinary toad. Its two large eyes were white and blind. The monster was also strangely mutated. Debris from the floor clung to its slimy skin, but the debris failed to conceal a number of short tentacles growing out of the monster's diseased skin.
Dororo had his back to a corner and was relatively safe for the moment. Hyakkimaru advanced on the demon with his sword arms out.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 150]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru set out on the road again, looking for a place to spend the night. They came to a village with several inns, but none of them would give them lodging. Dororo couldn't understand why. They'd come from the other side of the wall on the hill, but why would that make everyone so unfriendly?
"What should we do?" Dororo asked Hyakkimaru.
"What we always do when there's no inn to stay at," he said. "We'll find a place to camp outside."
That night, they made camp beneath the wide boughs of a cedar tree just outside of town.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 186]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo went into the back garden of the estate. The storehouse was built next to a thick grove of bamboo. Hyakkimaru stopped just in front of the storehouse. "All right. Here's where we do it."
"Do what?" Dororo asked.
"I'm going to lure the demon out. We'll pretend to search the storehouse, and it'll come out of the bamboo grove to try and stop us."
"Are you sure?"
Hyakkimaru kicked the lock of the storehouse. "Pretty sure."
Dororo tried breaking open the lock violently, too. Their efforts were loud, and before long there was an angry-sounding roar from the direction of the bamboo thicket.
The giant moth monster flew out of the grove, scattering poisonous scales in all directions.
"Dororo, run into the grove and cut yourself a bamboo spear," Hyakkimaru said. "I'll fight the monster here."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 146]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Flickering foxfire confused Hyakkimaru's senses as he tried to sleep. When he sat up, he saw the same blue-white flames dancing around him that he'd seen the previous night. He stood up, drew his sword, and prepared to fight once more.
"Hyakkimaru... Hyakkimaru..."
"Who are you?" Hyakkimaru turned around. The voice seemed to come from the foxfires. "Show yourself!"
"Hyakkimaru. You fought with a samurai commander at Banmon."
"What about it?"
"His name is Daigo Kagemitsu. He is your father."
"My father?!" His hands shook.
"You have a younger brother, too. His name is Tahoumaru. Wouldn't you like to meet him?"
"No," Hyakkimaru said. "No, you're a demon and you're trying to trick me. I won't believe your lies." He tightened his grip on his sword and slashed at the foxfire.
"Suit yourself."
The foxfires popped, then vanished.
But the words of the foxfires had gotten into his head. He couldn't sleep or think about anything else at all. Rage at the demons and his birth family overwhelmed him.
<<if $insane is false>><<set $insane to true>><<set $brutal=$brutal+1>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-7.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Insane<br> for falling victim to a demon's tricks and giving in to bloodlust.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 60]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Aniki... aniki..."
If Hyakkimaru could hear Dororo, he showed no sign of it. He stared daggers at Banmon. "Come out, fox demon."
Innumerable foxfires shone above Banmon. They shot toward the ground, transforming into small demon foxes the moment they struck the earth.
"Uh... I think it came out," Dororo said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 331 - Dead End - The Fox Demon Kills Dororo and Hyakkimaru]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio wreck play>>A multitude of fox spirits swarmed towards Hyakkimaru and Dororo like shooting stars.
Dororo clung to the wooden gate. The fox demon lunged at him as if it wanted nothing more than to devour him alive.
The fox demon's sharp teeth dug into Dororo's body.
"Aniki..."
"Dororo!"
Hyakkimaru didn't hear Dororo anymore. He swung his unnamed sword and chopped the heads off of several fox demons, but he was out of endurance, exhausted and confused after slaying his father. "Dororo, where are you?"
The fox demon's eyes gleamed brightly, its fangs bared, and it bit into Hyakkimaru's body, tearing pieces off of him bit by bit.
Finally running out of strength, Hyakkimaru collapsed to the ground in a daze.
Eventually, dawn broke.
Crows flocked around the two corpses lying under the wooden gate.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited16 is false>><<set $visited16 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru burned with anger now that he knew the truth of what had happened to the children's spirits. His whole body exuded killing intent as he advanced on the false nuns.
"Pull back!" one of the nuns shouted. "Get away from here!" She and the others scattered in all directions.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, they're escaping!"
"I'll chase after them. Go to the village and let everyone know what happened, Dororo. Hurry!"
Dororo ran toward the temple gate like a bat out of hell.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 129]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru glared at the villagers, then turned his back to them and walked away. If Dororo wasn't in his arms, he might have drawn his sword on them. Dororo was more important than his rage. Besides, it would be a waste to kill people when they'd saved the village from the demon.
They left the village and came to a stream. Hyakkimaru lay Dororo down on the shore and cupped some water in his prosthetic hands for Dororo to drink.
As he was tilting Dororo's head back to help him swallow, Hyakkimaru felt a sharp shooting pain in his right arm.
Check <b>N</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $N="n">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 7: Hyakkimaru Regains His Right Arm]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru fell like a wall crumbling at its foundation. Bright light swirled above him in a white spiral.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo ran to his side.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 90]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo?"
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>
? I'm here."
Dororo held up Hyakkimaru as best he could and propped the rest of his body up against a wall. It was dark. Hyakkimaru couldn't see or sense much of anything.
"That's right," he breathed. "The demons... they took back the pieces I got back."
"Yes, because you're an idiot." Dororo was crying, but trying not to show it.
The world darkened. Hyakkimaru thought he slept, though it was hard to be sure. When he returned to his senses, he heard someone moving around. Dororo was still holding him up.
"Who's there?" he asked. "Mio? Is that you? Are you alive?"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 201]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The person who Hyakkimaru thought was Mio didn't say a single word. They crouched down next to Hyakkimaru and hugged him.
"Mio, thank you," Dororo said. "With your help, maybe aniki will be able to walk again."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 113]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
"Come at me, monster!" He slashed out at the mutated toad, slicing through tentacles and slimy skin. Green blood splashed from the monster's wounds.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the mutated toad. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mutated Toad - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mutated Toad - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 176]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 289]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "360">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "360">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 176]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 289]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle3 > "360">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle3 > "360">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle3 > "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 176]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle3 < "360">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 289]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>"Just die already!"
Hyakkimaru slashed the mutated toad one more time, and it collapsed on the destroyed floor of the shrine. The monster struggled to stand, then slid away from Hyakkimaru toward a large hole in one wall.
<img src="Images/CheckX.png">
<center><<if $X is "x">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 189]]>><</button>><</if>>
<<if $X is "X">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 263]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[X is checked.->Scene 189]]>><</button>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[X is not checked.->Scene 263]]>><</button>></center><</if>><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio sink play>>Hyakkimaru was certain of their victory. But then, something unanticipated happened.
The monster dodged Hyakkimaru's next sword strike, then focused its next attack on Dororo, who was still in the corner of the shrine. Dororo had nowhere to run. The monster lifted him in its tentacles, wrapping him from head to toe.
"Aniki!"
The threat to Dororo made Hyakkimaru hesitate.
The monster had engineered this moment. It maneuvered Dororo into Hyakkimaru's path, so that Hyakkimaru couldn't attack the monster without attacking Dororo, too. It had a hostage, and took full advantage of it.
"Shit!" Hyakkimaru lost his balance as he tried to stab around Dororo, and he pitched forward. His head landed right in the monster's mouth.
Dororo let out a wordless scream. He was still screaming when the monster swallowed him whole.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited13 is false>><<set $visited13 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Food was brought in almost immediately. A first course, then a second, then a third... Dororo thought that he was in heaven. Exotic dishes from high in the mountains and from distant seas were presented in artistic ways. Hyakkimaru and Dororo had never seen such a feast in their entire lives.
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru dig in and enjoy the feast.->Scene 27]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru don't touch the food.->Scene 107]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio dance play>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo dug into the meal set before them.
Hyakkimaru slurped down a small bowl of duck soup. Dororo gobbled down a mountain of white rice. They had never eaten such delicious food.
But their satisfaction was short-lived. Before long, excruciating pain had them bent double over the low table, both clutching at their stomachs.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, it hurts!" Dororo rolled on the floor, turning his head to cough up blood.
"Bandai never intended for us to stay," Hyakkimaru said, his face green-tinged. "She... poisoned us..." He spat out blood. "Dororo. Let's travel together again someday."
Those were Hyakkimaru's last words. He lay sprawled along the poisoned food, his last thoughts for the one person who'd never abandoned him.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited14 is false>><<set $visited14 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"The food looks wonderful, but I'm exhausted," Hyakkimaru said. "I think we should take a nap before we eat." He smiled politely at the servants bringing in the food. "Please take all of this away for now."
Hyakkimaru and a sulky Dororo were shown to their bedroom. When the servants left, Dororo tore into Hyakkimaru.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! I'm starving, and you didn't let me eat!" He threw himself down on his futon with a little huff.
"Call it an abundance of caution. No matter now nice Lady Bandai seems on the surface, this whole estate is suffused with a demonic aura. I think if we'd eaten the food, something bad would have happened."
"Bad? Hmph." Dororo turned up his nose and folded his arms. "We might never see such amazing food ever again, y'know." His voice was thick with regret.
Hyakkimaru hushed Dororo.
"What? What is it?"
"The demonic aura is getting stronger," Hyakkimaru said. "It's headed for this room."
Hyakkimaru glared at the ceiling.
Dororo listened carefully. He could definitely hear something approaching.
Screech... Screech...
The noise stopped. It seemed the person was watching Hyakkimaru and the Dororo from above.
Hyakkimaru kept staring at the ceiling, silent. Dororo held his breath. Seconds passed like hours.
Finally, something moved above them.
Hyakkimaru's unnamed sword slid out of his prosthetic arm.
As if that was a signal, there was a tremendous roar and the ceiling tore apart, and a large, black shadow descended on them.
The monster was hideous and bizarre. Its body was squat like a toad's and covered in shiny black tentacles. It breathed out the smells of mildew, rot and decaying flesh. Two large, carious yellow eyes glowed with hatred.
The monster opened its mouth wide, shooting its long tongue at Hyakkimaru.
Check X on the Adventure Card.
<<set $X="x">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 150]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio fire play>>Dororo heard the commotion inside the estate and ran to help Hyakkimaru.
"Run away, Dororo! That's Bandai's true form! You can't possibly win against her!" Hyakkimaru shouted as the roof fell on top of him.
"Hyakkimaru! This shall be your grave!" Bandai used her demonic power to summon a lightning strike. The lightning ignited the ruins of her collapsing estate, setting the rubble on top of Hyakkimaru on fire.
The flames spread quickly, engulfing what remained of the estate. Bandai trapped Dororo inside a pocket of burning rubble.
Surrounded by flames, Dororo called out to Hyakkimaru. But Hyakkimaru didn't answer.
Dororo cursed Bandai. He picked up a stone underfoot and hurled it at the demon with all his strength. He found more stones and threw them as the fires burned higher.
Bandai got annoyed and grew out her long hair. She wrapped Dororo in her hair and cut it off, lighting it on fire. Dororo screamed, rolling and trying to put the fire out.
The fires burned until there was nothing but ashes left.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited13 is false>><<set $visited13 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Dororo! Dororo, where are you?" Hyakkimaru called out.
"I'm here!"
Footsteps echoed in the passageway outside as Hyakkimaru ran to Dororo.
Hyakkimaru took in Dororo's stunned expression as he walked into the main hall of the temple and laughed. "You know, that plan <i>almost</i> worked. If I hadn't gotten an antidote from a farmer who was passing by, I'd be worm food by now."
The spirits of all the children gathered around the figure of a nun. All of the false nuns were incapacitated on the floor.
"Those kids saved me," Dororo said. "They used to live here before the temple burned. The demon burned the temple. This was their revenge."
Hyakkimaru bowed his head respectfully to the children's spirits. "Well. Now that all of that's settled, let's take care of the rest of it."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 275]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You monster! I finally found you!"
The bamboo was cut away, exposing the monster's hideous, tentacle-covered body. It trembled with rage, baring its fangs at Hyakkimaru.
The monster attacked. Hyakkimaru ducked underneath it, removing his prosthetic leg as he did so. He aimed at the monster's soft underside with his leg. "Let's see how you like this!"
Acid spurted from the insulated metal tube hidden in Hyakkimaru's left prosthetic leg.
The monster let out a scream that could be heard all over the village and retreated.
Hyakkimaru put his leg back on, jumped up, and pressed the attack on the monster.
The nameless sword gouged the monster's belly. Green blood gushed out.
One more thrust!
The monster's tail writhed as it roared in pain.
Hyakkimaru noticed that the tail was covered in many layers of white silk cloth--only the tail. Why?
Hyakkimaru slashed through the silk cloth with his nameless sword. The cloth fell away from the tail, and Hyakkimaru gasped at what was revealed.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 177]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The monster let out a roar that sounded like a scream.
From the cut white silk emerged the face of a beautiful woman with long black hair.
It was Bandai, but all life had been drained from her face. Her eyes were wide open, but there was no light in them. Her face was as still and white as a Noh mask.
But why was Bandai in the monster's tail? The tail was attached to her lower body. Hyakkimaru stood there, stunned, for a few moments as he tried to understand what was happening.
The monster took advantage of Hyakkimaru's distraction to strike back. It used its tentacles to grab Hyakkimaru and wrap around him, squeezing hard to choke the air out of him.
Hyakkimaru slashed the tentacles away, removed his leg and hit the monster with another spray of acid. This time, he aimed for the eyes.
The monster rolled on the ground in pain, clutching at its face with misshapen limbs. White smoke hissed and rose from its hideous, toad-like body.
Something strange was happening to the monster. As the white smoke rose around it, its body shrank rapidly. Its screams turned to roars, then whimpers as the monster shrank to the size of a child. An ugly, misshapen lump of a child.
After the white smoke blew away, the monster continued to shrink. Finally, it was smaller than the length of a child's arm. The monster's tail still looked like Bandai, but the monster's body was now shriveled and small.
The shrunken monster crawled into the cut white silk cloth. At that moment, Bandai, who had been lying there as if dead, suddenly sat up. She ran furiously through the bamboo thicket, heading in the direction of her estate.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 20]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Wrapped in white silk, Lady Bandai headed back to her estate. She ran through the bamboo grove, scaled the white walls around the estate and jumped onto the grounds.
Hyakkimaru witnessed this, but didn't chase Bandai right away. He went to collect Dororo from the villagers who were holding him hostage. They didn't know that Hyakkimaru had just engaged in a fight with their village's benefactress.
"The monster is..."
After a few false starts, Hyakkimaru managed to tell the villagers that the monster plaguing their village was Bandai.
The villagers were stunned at first, then angry--very angry. "What are you talking about?! What you're saying is impossible! Lady Bandai has saved our village many times."
"What do you mean?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"The monster comes to the village at times. It robs us, steals our gold and our goods. Lady Bandai lends us the money we need to get back on our feet every single time. No monster would do that!"
"Get out of this village!"
"No one is allowed to spread lies and slander about Lady Bandai!"
The villagers hemmed Hyakkimaru in with threatening looks.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 59]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>When Hyakkimaru remembered to look around, Sabame was gone. The estate was burning, with no hope of putting the fires out now.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 217]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The monster slithered away from the hut, moving toward Bandai's estate.
"Come on, Dororo!" Hyakkimaru looked behind him as he chased after the monster.
Dororo huffed and puffed to keep up.
The monster balanced keeping out of sight with speed as it moved through the village streets, near-silent. It came to the tall walls surrounding Lady Bandai's estate and scaled one, dropping over the wall to the other side.
"It's in there," Hyakkimaru said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 242]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"It's trying to escape! After it!"
The monster exited the shrine through a hole in the wall and sped toward the village under the moonlight, looking like nothing so much as a huge stone moving at extreme speeds overland.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo chased the monster at top speed.
"No matter what, we can't let that thing get away!" Hyakkimaru shouted.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 242]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo sprinted into the bamboo thicket, coming back moments later with a crude spear. "I got the spear, aniki!"
Hyakkimaru was engaged in combat with the giant moth monster. "Throw it to me!"
Dororo did, and Hyakkimaru caught it. He aimed at the moth monster's right wing and threw it full force.
The bamboo spear pierced the monster's wing, taking it out of the air. It crashed to the ground and turned, attempting to hide in the bamboo grove again.
"Aniki, it's getting away!"
Hyakkimaru chased after the fleeing moth monster. The monster strained its injured wing to take flight again; it moved away from the estate at a slow but steady pace.
"We should burn the storehouse," Hyakkimaru said. The moth monster was gone for now, but it was hurt. And it would come back.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 210]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>When Dororo woke up the next morning, Hyakkimaru was gone. He looked around frantically and found no sign of him anywhere. Calming himself, he climbed the tallest tree in the area and discovered Hyakkimaru running toward the village in the predawn light. Dororo rushed after him.
"So rude," Dororo muttered as he caught up to him in the village. "You're not supposed to ditch me!"
Hyakkimaru stopped when he heard Dororo's voice, but he didn't say anything right away. He was standing in front of an opulent samurai estate.
The front gate of the estate opened, revealing the samurai commander that Hyakkimaru had fought with at the wall and a retinue of servants.
"Daigo Kagemitsu."
The man frowned. "Yes? Who are you?"
Hyakkimaru's eyes shone with an inner light.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 97]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>One of the servants stepped in front of Hyakkimaru. "You have some nerve, calling a nobleman by his first name, you whelp."
Hyakkimaru's sudden attack left the servant on the ground, bloody. Hyakkimaru hadn't made a single sound. His pale face was filled with murderous intent.
Hyakkimaru suddenly slashed at Kagemitsu, who was barely able to avoid being cut. The other servants drew swords and surrounded Hyakkimaru.
"Kill him!" Kagemitsu commanded.
Then he ran through the gates of his estate and through the front doors.
Hyakkimaru cut his way through the servants and ran in after him.
"Where are you, Kagemitsu?"
As Hyakkimaru ran through the mansion, a young samurai blocked his way, sword in hand.
"Who are you? Get out of my way!"
"I'm Kagemitsu's son, Tahoumaru."
"You're Tahoumaru?" Hyakkimaru looked him up and down.
"Yes. And you're a madman!" He attacked Hyakkimaru.
However, Hyakkimaru's counterstrike was too quick. He fell to the floor in a pool of his own blood.
"Ah, Tahoumaru..."
"Mother..."
A woman emerged from hiding and took the dying Tahoumaru in her arms. He took his last breaths, and his mother closed his eyes.
<i>His mother? So this woman is... my... mother?</i>
The woman raised her tear-stained face. "Hyakkimaru... you are my..."
The sword cut through the woman with a flash, and she collapsed on top of Tahoumaru.
Hyakkimaru heard Kagemitsu's strained cry coming from nearby.
"Come on out, Kagemitsu. Are you scared yet?"
Kagemitsu entered the room, steady on his feet. He unsheathed his sword and faced Hyakkimaru.
"Hyakkimaru, have you gone mad?"
"I won't answer your questions."
They ran at one another at the same time. Two swords met in midair.
"Hyakkimaru..."
Keimitsu collapsed like a mountaintop after a landslide.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, stop it already!"
Dororo jumped on Hyakkimaru from behind.
Hyakkimaru didn't think. He reacted on instinct.
His nameless sword pierced Dororo's throat and nailed him to a wall.
<<if $family is false>><<set $brutal=$brutal+1>><<set $family to true>>
<img src="Images/Achievement-23.png"><<audio failfare play>><center><i>YYou have earned the Achievement - Familicide<br> for killing your entire birth family.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 321]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The floors and walls were a sea of blood as Hyakkimaru stalked through the estate, looking for more people to fight.
The fox demon popped into existence in front of him, yawning.
Hyakkimaru's senses fixed on the demon. "It's your turn."
The fox smiled.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 183]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>They were surrounded by more than twenty skeletons, and they all looked identical to one another. Hyakkimaru used his psychokinetic senses to pick out the true threat from among the skeletons. Something was controlling them; the identical presentation of his attackers was meant to confuse his senses so that he couldn't find the real demon.
Hyakkimaru slashed at the skeletons to make them back away. Dororo used a discarded femur as a weapon. They held their own for awhile, but it couldn't last. Dororo's femur got chopped in half during an unlucky attack, and he got behind Hyakkimaru.
"Don't give up!" Dororo said. "They're just bones! We can take 'em!"
Hyakkimaru concentrated on the army of skeletons closing in. He felt the faint flicker of fire coming from the inside of one skeleton's skull and whirled on it.
"That skeleton has a fire burning inside it. It's there," he said, pointing to the fourth skeleton from the left. Look, it's moving!"
Hyakkimaru aimed his left sword arm at the odd skeleton out and launched it with psychokinesis. His aim was spot-on, and the sword pierced the skeleton's skull. The fire burning within flickered and emerged, flying high into the sky before Dororo and Hyakkimaru could destroy it.
The other skeletons collapsed into inert piles of bones.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 40]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The sky lightened as the sun rose, and Hyakkimaru and Dororo relaxed some of their vigilance. Dororo climbed to the top of the wall and sat down.
After a little while, Dororo hopped down. "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, there are people coming," he whispered.
"People?"
Dororo and Hyakkimaru peeked around the edges of the wall. Sure enough, there was a group of samurai warriors herding women, children and a few men toward the wall. As they drew closer, Dororo noticed that the group the samurai were herding had their hands bound behind their backs.
What crime had these people committed? Some appeared to be parents with their children. Why were they coming toward the wall?
"Dororo, stay in cover," Hyakkimaru said. "Those samurai have bows."
"Gotcha."
As Hyakkimaru's senses swept over the unfortunate prisoners, he remembered something that had happened long ago. Before Hyakkimaru met Dororo, he'd been living with orphans in an abandoned temple. The children had been raised by an older girl named Mio.
Mio was also an orphan, but the other children relied on her. She was kind and persevering, and would help anyone in need. Hyakkimaru had loved her, and told her so even though it made her blush.
Mio was important to Hyakkimaru. The first stirrings of strong human emotions he'd felt came from her.
This was a good thing, and a terrible one.
One day, Hyakkimaru returned to the temple late after practicing using his swords. He found the children dead: murdered by samurai. The temple burned. Hyakkimaru tried to save whoever was left inside and discovered Mio, already dead.
"Mio..." Hyakkimaru said softly. He forced back tears.
"Yo, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" Dororo said sharply. "Pay attention! They're here."
Dororo's voice restored Hyakkimaru to the present moment.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 335 - Hyakkimaru and Dororo at the Wall]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I think they're up to no good," Dororo said. "We should stop them, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
"Shh, they'll hear you," Hyakkimaru whispered.
The samurai dragged the children and peasant men and women over to the wall and bound them in place so that they couldn't move very far. The children shook with fear, and some were crying. The adults were more composed; for the most part, they appeared resigned to what was about to happen to them.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo don't get involved.->Scene 240]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo wait and see if they can save the prisoners.->Scene 64]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio arrows play>>The samurai fired arrows, and the people bound to the wall were picked off like flies. Two children slipped free from their bonds and hugged a dead woman who'd been pierced by many arrows as they cried.
"The children are a nuisance," the samurai commander said. "Kill them all."
"But they're just kids."
"I don't care. Shoot them all."
The samurai couldn't go against orders. They shot and killed the two children hugging their mother.
Dororo screamed.
The samurai commander looked over the carnage before him and nodded to himself in satisfaction. "Let this be a warning to others who seek to defy our laws. Come."
He and his men were about to withdraw from the wall when Dororo jumped out of hiding. "Stop! I'm not done with you yet!" he shouted at the samurai.
The samurai looked him up and down. "Who are you, kid?"
Dororo picked up a stone and threw it as hard as he could at the nearest samurai.
"Ow! What the hell is your problem, kid?"
The samurai were briefly surprised by Dororo's actions and didn't react immediately. Dororo stomped up to the samurai, then pointed at the commander. "Hey, you! Yeah, you! D'you get a kick out of murdering women and children, you monster? How would you like it if I killed you? I just might!"
One of the samurai realized that Dororo was a threat and unsheathed his sword.
Hyakkimaru came out of hiding and put Dororo behind him. "Stay back. These people are dangerous."
Dororo snorted. "Like I don't know that already. Let me at 'em, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. This isn't your fight."
"You're wrong." Hyakkimaru faced the samurai who had his sword drawn. "You'll be fighting me," he said. "Prepare yourself."
Hyakkimaru drew the sword that hung from his hip.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 41]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo jumped out of hiding. Hyakkimaru pulled him back behind the safety of the wall and hushed him.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, let me go! We can't just let them get away with this!"
"It's better not to get involved," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo tried to slip free of Hyakkimaru's grip, but stopped struggling when he heard the commander tell his men to shoot at the prisoners.
The samurai fired arrows, and the people bound to the wall were picked off like flies. Two children slipped free from their bonds and hugged a dead woman who'd been pierced by many arrows. They cried loudly, their voices echoing on the hilltop.
"The children are a nuisance," the samurai commander said. "Kill them all."
"But they're just kids."
"I don't care. Shoot them all."
The samurai couldn't go against orders. They shot and killed the two children hugging their mother.
Dororo screamed, but his voice was impossible to pick out over all the other cries and screams.
The samurai commander looked over the carnage before him and nodded to himself in satisfaction. "Let this be a warning to others who seek to defy our laws. Come."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 312]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The samurai lowered his sword a bare inch and gave Hyakkimaru an appraising look. "Who are you, then?"
"Hyakkimaru."
"Hyakkimaru, pah. A homeless bum with no family name."
They attacked at the same time. Hyakkimaru blocked the samurai's sword with the sword in his hand, then removed the prosthetic over his left sword arm with psychokinesis. The warrior jumped back from the slash Hyakkimaru made with his sword arm and fell off his horse.
"You bastard! What's with that arm?!"
"Are you surprised?" Dororo chuckled nastily. "His body was taken by forty-eight demons. Most of his body is fake."
"What, forty-eight demons?" the samurai asked in surprise. "So you were born this way?"
"When you were born, you floated down the river in a washbasin, right, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?"
"A washbasin..." The samurai appeared queasy. Sweat stood out on his forehead. "Y-you..."
Hyakkimaru was also seized by a strange sensation. Something like recognition and belonging, but the sensation faded before he could fully grasp it.
The warrior continued to glare at Hyakkimaru for a while. Then he sheathed his sword and swiftly mounted his horse.
"Wait a minute," one of the warriors said.
"We have to deal with this upstart," another said.
"No, don't get involved," the commander said. He checked his horse, turned around and rode off. The other samurai galloped after him.
After the samurai left, Hyakkimaru and Dororo dug holes for the bodies of the executed and buried them one by one. Tears welled up in Dororo's eyes.
Check <b>O</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $O="o">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 143]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>By the time Hyakkimaru and Dororo buried the dead, it was already dark.
"We'll camp here again tonight," Hyakkimaru said. "We can go to the village early tomorrow morning."
"Hmph. I'm starving. Let's eat something good in the village tomorrow, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
"We can't waste time."
"Huh? Since when is food a waste of time?"
"Go to sleep, Dororo. We're getting up early tomorrow."
"Hmph. Fine. Stupid <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, not caring about food."
Hyakkimaru was already snoring.
Dororo threw himself down and slept until dawn.
Hyakkimaru awoke before Dororo. He sensed something at the edges of his psychokinetic vision. When he concentrated, he discovered many tiny pinpricks of blue-white flames floating in the air around the wall. The flames drew closer to the wall, then lit it on fire--but it didn't burn.
The old fortress wall that served as a last memorial for many dead innocents lit up with a bright blue glow around its edges.
Hyakkimaru stood up, drawing his sword. He slashed at the flames.
<img src="Images/CheckR.png"><center>
<<if $R is "r">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 258]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $R is "R">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 220]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[R is checked.->Scene 258]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[R is not checked.->Scene 220]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle17 > "180">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle17 > "180">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle17 < "180">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle17 < "180">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle17 > "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 51]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle17 < "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 230]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Innumerable orbs of blue-white fire spun above Dororo and Hyakkimaru's heads. They smashed together, forming into a large fox made of flames. Hyakkimaru and Dororo were trapped in a vortex of blue swirling light as the fox pounced on them from above.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 16: Dororo and Hyakkimaru are Trapped by Foxfires]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckQ.png"><center><<if $Q is "q">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 258]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $Q is "Q">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 326 - Foxfire Illusions]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[Q is checked.->Scene 258]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Q is not checked.->Scene 326 - Foxfire Illusions]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio chime play>><img src="Images/CheckO.png">
<center><<if $O is "o">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 158]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $O is "O">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 329 - White Spiral of Light]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[O is checked.->Scene 158]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[O is not checked.->Scene 329 - White Spiral of Light]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru sighed. "Fine. I understand that you don't believe me. Dororo, you'll have to stay a hostage for a little while longer until I prove what I say."
Dororo shrugged.
Hyakkimaru forced the gate to the back garden of Bandai's estate open and sneaked onto the estate grounds.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 21]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>When Hyakkimaru came back to full consciousness, it was dark. He couldn't sense Dororo nearby.
"Dororo? Dororo!"
"Ugh..." Dororo stumbled to his feet and moved toward Hyakkimaru. "I'm here. Isn't it daytime yet?"
"This is the world of the dead, remember. There's no day here."
"Oh. Well, that sucks." He stretched hugely.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 294]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"But where are we?"
Their surroundings brightened enough for them to see. They were standing in a small hut.
Dororo cried out when the darkness receded. "Yikes! It's just a hut; was there really a need to reveal it so dramatically?" he grumbled.
In one corner of the hut, a woman stood dejected, face to the floor.
"Oh." Dororo turned to the woman. "Do you own this place? Are we staying with you?" Dororo asked.
"That's Mio," Hyakkimaru said.
"Mio? You know her?"
"I did. A long time ago. Before she died."
"What? She's dead!?" Dororo used Hyakkimaru as a shield and snuck surreptitious glances at the dead woman.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 13: Mio Beckons Dororo and Hyakkimaru]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>They reached the village just as the sun just before noon. The whole place was deserted and silent, even in broad daylight.
"This place gives me the creeps," Dororo whispered to Hyakkimaru.
They went into an inn, but no one came out to greet them.
Hyakkimaru clapped his wooden hands together, causing an echo. A man in hiding jumped from behind a shoji screen.
"Please let us stay for the night," Hyakkimaru said. "We can pay."
"You came from the direction of Banmon." He sounded frightened. "Are you from there?"
"What is Banmon?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"The large section of the fortress wall that rests on a hill just outside our village. Surely you know it?" the man asked.
Hyakkimaru nodded. "We walked past it on our way here."
The man's demeanor changed instantly, becoming stern and mean. "Then get out. We don't serve your kind here."
"What d'you mean, 'our kind?'" Dororo asked, indignant. "We're not criminals. We can pay you." Dororo pulled out his coin pouch and showed it to the man.
"Get out of town," the man said. "If you don't, you'll be cut down in the street."
"Why?" Hyakkimaru asked. "What did we do?"
He extended his psychokinetic senses and realized that more people were gathering on the street outside to intercept them when they left.
The man chased them out of the inn, directly into the center of an angry mob.
A man in the mob grabbed Hyakkimaru's shoulder and tried to drag him, but Hyakkimaru refused to be moved by force. "Hey! If you want to kill me, at least tell me why first," he said.
"He's an Asakura Clan spy!" another man in the mob called out.
"Asakura Clan? I don't know anything about them. I think you're mistaken," Hyakkimaru said.
"You can't just attack people because you mistake them for enemies! It's not right!" Dororo said, stomping his foot.
"Calm down," Hyakkimaru said. He looked at the open door of the inn behind them. "And get inside, just in case this gets to be messy."
Dororo protested, but acquiesced when more of the mob started striking them. He retreated to the inn and peeked out of the open doorway.
Hyakkimaru tried talking again, but the mob refused to listen. He uncovered his sword arms and slew the mob with three swift slashes of his blades.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 62]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You're right: it's a good day to travel," Hyakkimaru said. "We'll leave this morning."
Sabame appeared openly relieved.
As Dororo and Hyakkimaru passed the three cedar trees that stood in front of the estate, Dororo asked, "Is it really okay for us to leave? I thought you said there was something here."
"Do you really think I'd leave this place without checking thoroughly for monsters?"
"Nope. Doesn't sound like you."
"I'm glad we agree." He got on the road that led to the mountain behind them with a spring in his step. "Let's go."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 9: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Search Around Sabame's Estate]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next morning, Lord Sabame summoned Hyakkimaru and Dororo to a morning meal. "The weather is fine this morning," he said. "It's a perfect day for traveling. I believe you both should leave as soon as possible."
"And if we refuse to leave?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Sabame's hand moved to the hilt of his sword.
"You will drive us out even if it means using force?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Will you use those caterpillar monsters that you tried to kill us with last night?"
The hand lingering over Sabame's sword hilt trembled. "Leave," he said.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo agree to leave the mansion for now.->Scene 81]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo decide to stay.->Scene 284]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"You can threaten us all you want, but we're not leaving. There's something evil in this place. That was why I accepted your hospitality last night." Hyakkimaru sat down, sword on hip, looking like a man who couldn't be moved.
Sabame bit back an angry retort. His shoulders relaxed. "Fine. You are my guests, after all. Do as you like."
He spun on his heel and left the room in a huff.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 254]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>As Hyakkimaru slashed at the flames, a piece broke off from the wall, transforming into a fox made of fire. Hyakkimaru slashed at it again, cutting off the fox's head. More of the flames broke off, changing into a skulk of foxes.
Dororo sat up. "What is it, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>? Wolves?"
"Foxes," Hyakkimaru said. "And a lot of them, too."
"They look like they're on fire!" Dororo stood up and put himself behind Hyakkimaru.
"They are, sort of. This is foxfire. It's an illusion. Climb up on the wall; you'll be safer there."
"Okay. <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, behind you!"
Dororo's warning came in time for Hyakkimaru to deflect an attack by one of the foxes.
As Dororo climbed the wall, Hyakkimaru fought off foxes by the dozens. He lost track of how many there were; he was too busy keeping them away from Dororo and the top of the wall.
Then the sun rose fully above the horizon, and the flames flickering around the foxes started to fade, along with the foxes themselves. The fire popped out of existence, followed by the slain foxes on the ground.
"Were they all illusions?" Dororo asked. "You killed so many, but there's not a single one left now."
The battle over, Dororo and Hyakkimaru continued their journey to the village.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 43]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
"No way!" Dororo said. "You have no idea how hard it was to get those parts back!"
Hyakkimaru pushed Mio away.
"Ah!" Mio careened backwards and fell.
Dororo bit his lip. He agreed with Hyakkimaru, but thought that pushing Mio so hard was an overreaction. "You don't need to be so rough with her."
"Yes, I do." All his attention was fixed on Mio. "I know you're a demon now. How dare you." He unsheathed the sword at his hip and slashed Mio across her body.
From the cut, green blood spilled out. The blood morphed into the form of a monstrous toad that breathed fire out of its nostrils. Each fireball transformed into a smaller demon, and Dororo and Hyakkimaru were quickly surrounded. The smaller demons wielded molten clubs that had the sheen of gold.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the demons. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Demons - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Demons - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 313]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 65]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "640">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "640">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "640">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 313]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 85]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "640">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "640">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "640">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 313]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "640">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 85]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
Hyakkimaru burst through the back door of the estate, shook off the servants who tried to stop him, and headed straight for Bandai's room. Now that he knew the monster's true identity, he was ready to settle this once and for all.
The strength of the evil aura he sensed coming from Bandai's room was unlike anything he'd ever felt. He kicked down the door.
Bandai laughed, high-pitched and semi-hysterical. Nothing of beauty or grace remained in her face and features. Two black horns sprouted from her forehead, and her black hair had turned snow-white. Her body was concealed by a gaudy costume, but the withered limbs of her hideous body rested on the floor like the roots of a gnarled tree.
"You've been deceiving everyone, pretending to be a good and beautiful person," Hyakkimaru said. "That ends today." He bared his right sword arm.
The floor pitched under him and the roof collapsed as the walls around them cracked and fell. Bandai was trying to bring the room down on top of him.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Bandai do battle. In this case, since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Bandai - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Bandai - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 169]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 34]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 169]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 34]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle10 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle10 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle10 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 169]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 34]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru crawled out from under the fallen piece of roof, turned toward the bell tower built at the far edge of the garden, and chased after the monster.
"Don't follow me, Dororo! Stay back!"
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! No, I'm gonna help you!" Dororo picked up a thick stick and followed after him.
"No, Dororo! You're no match for this monster!"
Dororo ignored all of Hyakkimaru's pleas to turn back.
"Wicked Hyakkimaru. I will never forget my hatred of you. I will rip out your guts first, then do the same to that boy." Bandai, monstrously transformed with horns gleaming on her forehead, positioned herself on top of the bell and hurled down insults at Dororo and Hyakkimaru. Then she jumped off the bell, taking flight.
She pretended to attack Hyakkimaru, then attacked Dororo.
"Waaah, you bitch!"
Dororo swung his stick around frantically. Bandai slammed into him, and his stick fell from his hands. He tried to get up, but found it difficult to move.
"Dororo!"
Hyakkimaru brandished his unnamed sword and charged at Bandai. He stepped between the monster and Dororo, digging one sword into the monster's side and slashing another at its face.
Bandai retreated, flying back toward the bell tower.
"Damn it! I'm not going to let you get away!"
Hyakkimaru ran up to the bell tower and picked up the metal mallet used to ring the bell in emergencies. He bludgeoned Bandai's body with the mallet.
Bandai screamed as green blood splattered on the ground with every strike.
"You're finished!"
Hyakkimaru's right sword arm pierced Bandai's chest as she collapsed, letting out one final fierce cry. Her body spasmed for what felt like a long time before she finally went still.
<<if $bandai is false>><<set $pragmatic=$pragmatic+1>><<set $bandai to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-21.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Monster Hunter<br> for defeating Bandai in all her monster forms.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><img src="Images/CheckE.png"><center>
<<if $E is "e">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 213]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $E is "E">><<button[[Continue.->Scene 203]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<if $test is true>><center><<button[[E is checked.->Scene 213]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[E is not checked.->Scene 203]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The villagers had watched the battle from hiding. Now that it was over, they emerged from their homes and hiding places to observe the aftermath.
Hyakkimaru picked up Dororo, who was still unconscious, and gently moved him to the side of the bell tower. Dororo's arm was wounded, but not broken.
A slimy white lump oozed from Bandai's mouth as she died. The horns on Bandai's forehead disappeared, and her fiercely angry expression relaxed. The villagers gasped as they took in her transformed body. Her face was Lady Bandai's again in death: gentle, beautiful and kind.
"Looks like this is the true form of the monster," Hyakkimaru said while poking the white lump with a stick.
"Poor girl. She was probably just another traveler. When she passed through this village, the monster possessed her. From then on, the monster led a double life, deceiving you as Bandai and victimizing you as the monster. The monster stole your money and goods, and Bandai gave some of it back. But the monster kept most of what it stole, didn't it?"
The villagers exchanged glances. The idea of getting back all the money the monster had stolen from them over the years held great appeal.
"<span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span> would have shown you where your money is," Hyakkimaru asked. "I'll prove it. He showed me."
Hyakkimaru walked to the place the spirit had shown to him in the bamboo thicket outside of town. The villagers followed him, their thoughts full of gold and greed.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 286]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>With the battle over, the villagers came out of hiding and walked over to the bell tower to witness the aftermath.
Hyakkimaru picked up Dororo, who was unconscious. His arm was injured. Hyakkimaru frowned.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 98]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Can someone let us stay in their home for a short while so that I can tend to Dororo's injuries?" Hyakkimaru asked the gathering crowd.
No one offered Hyakkimaru and Dororo a place to stay.
Hyakkimaru looked down at Dororo, who was unconscious in his arms. The stared at the villagers and asked again. Surely someone would help?
The villagers pretended that Dororo and Hyakkimaru weren't even there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 44]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"No one will offer you a place," an old man said to Hyakkimaru.
The other villagers nodded silently. Some were emboldened by the old man's refusal on their behalf and added their own reasons for refusal.
"You're not normal; your body is fake. You're a freak, and not welcome in my home."
"You look like a monster."
"You don't belong here. You should leave the village now."
Every villager looked at Dororo and Hyakkimaru with contempt and coldness.
"What? Dororo risked his life to save you, and now you won't even help for a few minutes?" Hyakkimaru knew that people could be cruel, but he'd never expected these people to be so horrible.
"Why should we thank you? We didn't ask you to come here. Leave."
"Get out of here!"
The crowd was growing hostile. If Hyakkimaru didn't choose to leave soon, they would gang up on him and attack.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru leaves the village.->Scene 278 - Check N - Hyakkimaru's Right Arm Grows Back]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses to stay and impose his will by force.->Scene 122]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"I hear you," Hyakkimaru said, "But I don't want to leave yet, and I think you'll find it difficult to make me go."
"Kick them out!" one of the villagers shouted.
And then all the villagers attacked at once.
Hyakkimaru's rage bubbled up and exploded. He set Dororo down, then spun with his sword arms out through the mass of attacking villagers. In moments, not a single one of their attackers was left alive.
Hyakkimaru left the village under a cloud, with Dororo held in his prosthetic arms.
<<if $freak is false>><<set $brutal=$brutal+1>><<set $freak to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-22.png"><<audio failfare play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Freak<br> for being ostracized by an entire village, and slaughtering said village.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 15: Dororo and Hyakkimaru Find a Village]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The place where <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span> had disappeared the first night that Dororo and Hyakkimaru had seen it was in the center of a bamboo grove atop a mound of earth. Hyakkimaru led the villagers there, then turned around.
"This is the place. Dig, and you'll find something."
The villagers dug with their hands and shovels and hoes until they hit something solid. Moving the earth away, they discovered a huge pile of gold and silver coins.
"Bandai stole <span class='tooltip'>Kanekozou<span class='tooltiptext'><i>金小僧: Kanekozou, the spirit of a monk who died after being robbed of all material possessions. </i></span></span>'s gold and killed him," Hyakkimaru said. "Bandai was going to do the same to you. He was trying to show you where your gold was hidden, but you treated him like a monster," Hyakkimaru said.
His words were ignored by the villagers; they were too busy counting their gold.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 98]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 295]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 218]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle5 > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle5 > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle5 < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle5 < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle5 > "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 295]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle5 < "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 218]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio weird play>>Hyakkimaru drew his sword and charged toward the skeletons.
His blade bit only air.
The skeletons flew to pieces, then reformed beneath him, pulling at this limbs and clothes and tearing him to pieces.
"Aniki!"
A skeleton threw a rusted sword that pierced Dororo through the stomach and pinned him to the wall that marked the old battlefield.
And that was the end for Dororo and Hyakkimaru.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited15 is false>><<set $visited15 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 1.</i>
The skeleton flashed, returning to what it had been in life: a samurai general in the middle of a battle. There were no allies or enemies here; there was only the will of the demon that had reanimated the skeleton. The samurai general raised his sword at Hyakkimaru in challenge.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with the skeleton. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Skeleton - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Skeleton - Use 1]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Scene 222]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Scene 319]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 222]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 319]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle1 > "280">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle1 > "280">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle1 < "280">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle1 < "280">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle1 > "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 222]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle1 < "280">><br><<button[[Continue.->Scene 319]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru concentrated all his senses and stepped forward. The fierce general remained motionless, his fighting stance intact. Hyakkimaru faced the fierce general, also in a fighting stance.
The pale moonlight shone on their two swords. Time passed. Dororo watched intently, his heart beating faster every moment.
Hyakkimaru attacked. The samurai general leaped at him.
The moon was hidden by the clouds.
The samurai general stopped Hyakkimaru's attack with his own sword. They stood close together for a moment, all but still as they fought for dominance of the battle based on physical strength.
Hyakkimaru jumped back and slashed before the general could react.
The general's body glowed, then changed back into a skeleton. The skeleton collapsed in a heap. A pale white-blue flame illuminated the general's skull.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 40]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio ghost play>>"Whoa!"
The samurai general turned back into a skeleton. Its teeth chattered as it opened its mouth wide. Blue-white flames spurted out towards Hyakkimaru and Dororo.
As if struck by electricity, the two of them went numb, and they could barely even struggle as the flames rolled over them. Raising his sword, the general's skeleton approached the two and cut off Dororo's head with one slash. He decapitated Hyakkimaru next, and their heads rolled together, hitting the ground at the same time. The general's skeleton crumbled, leaving only the skull behind. The skull glowed an eerie blue-white under the light of the moon.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited17 is false>><<set $visited17 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<set $A="A">><<set $B="B">><<set $C="C">><<set $D="D">><<set $E="E">><<set $F="F">><<set $G="G">><<set $H="H">><<set $I="I">><<set $J="J">><<set $K="K">><<set $L="L">><<set $M="M">><<set $N="N">><<set $O="O">><<set $P="P">><<set $Q="Q">><<set $R="R">><<set $S="S">><<set $T="T">><<set $U="U">><<set $V="V">><<set $W="W">><<set $X="X">><<set $Y="Y">><<set $Z="Z">>
<<audio ":all" stop>>After his confrontation with Hyakkimaru, Sabame went to visit his wife.
"What did our guests say?" she asked.
"They refused to leave," Sabame said. "We have to get rid of them some other way."
Sabame's wife pulled a red vial from her sleeve. "Have Hyakkimaru consume this. If he does, he will die."
"He's on guard now. He won't be tricked into being poisoned."
"I cannot rest for as long as he is here. Dissolve this powder in some tea and have him drink it. He will surely perish."
"I will try to do as you ask." Sweat stood out on Sabame's forehead as he accepted the vial from his wife's hand.
Check <b>Y</b> on the Adventure Card.
<<set $Y="y">>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 94]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"It was probably a good idea to stay, aniki. But what do we do now?"
"We wait until the monster comes back. I'm sure it still wants to get rid of us. We'll go to our rooms tonight, the same as we did last night, and see what happens."
That night, Hyakkimaru woke up Dororo with a whisper. "The monster's coming back. I think it's watching us."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 191]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The samurai left, leaving the dead behind. The looks on the dead faces were full of resentment and hatred. Dororo untied the ropes holding the dead woman to the wall and buried her and her children in the same shallow grave.
Tears filled Dororo's eyes as he dug more holes to bury the rest of the bodies.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 143]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Damn it, you fox demon." He fled from the estate like an ill wind.
Dororo was confused by Hyakkimaru's bizarre behavior. "Aniki? What's wrong with you? Where are you going now?"
Hyakkimaru left Dororo behind at the gate.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Scene 246]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru limped down the mountain path with Dororo behind him.
"I don't think we shoulda left those kids," Dororo said.
"It's too late to help them," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo snorted. "The doctor stayed. You said he was your dad, right?'
Hyakkimaru nodded. "He raised me. He's not my father." He remembered what the fox demon had told him at Banmon: his father was Daigo Kagemitsu. He had to get back to Banmon and track him down.
"Oh." Dororo scuffed one wooden shoe against a stone. "Do you know who your father is?"
"I do." He frowned. "It's the commander at that wall. The one who ordered all those people killed."
Dororo blanched. "No way. That <i>can't</i> be your father. He's more evil than the demons, even!"
Hyakkimaru nodded. "I don't know what to do."
"Huh?"
"Do I kill him? Do I confront him to stop him? Do I do to him what he did to me?"
"You mean... like, cut off his arms and legs and stuff? Don't do that, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>." He shuddered. "If you're gonna kill him, do it, but don't be evil about it. Or you'd be as bad as him, yeah?"
Hyakkimaru considered his options for awhile.
"You don't have to go after him, either," Dororo said. "You could go back to your actual dad--the doctor who raised you. He seems nice."
<center><<button[[Return to the temple.->Kind Path 22 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go after Kagemitsu Daigo.->Kind Path 10 - Going after Daigo Kagemitsu]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo boiled water for bandages and fed Hyakkimaru water at intervals. He was alive, but unresponsive. Some of his wounds looked weird, but not all wounds looked the same on Hyakkimaru's artificial body as they would on a normal person. Dororo built up a fire and ate, looking worriedly at Hyakkimaru.
This camp was exposed, and demons had a tendency to come after Hyakkimaru. If he couldn't move tomorrow, Dororo would have to move him to a more secluded place.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>..." Dororo prayed to whatever gods were listening for a miracle. Hyakkimaru was like her father: strong as stone. He couldn't die. Not so easily.
<center><<button[[Pray.->Kind Path 11 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go find a doctor.->Kind Path 3 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $kind > 2>><center><<button[[They're my parents. I want to know them.->Kind Path 1 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[I would ask them why they did what they did.->Pragmatic Path 1 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[I would do to them what they did to me..->Brutal 1]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>> <<if $KINDPATH is false>>"Why are we trying to find your parents, anyway? What does it matter?" Dororo asked. "They abandoned you, didn't they?"
"They did. But I don't know why—I haven't heard their side of things. Until I do, I won't know what I should do."
"Do we even know where to find them?"
"If we follow the main road, we'll come to a city eventually, and cities have public records. We'll find them."<<if $KINDPATH is true>><<if $jukai_party is true>>
"We know that Daigo Kagemitsu is in Kaga. If we follow the road, we'll reach it soon," Jukai said.
<</if>><</if>>
Dororo nodded. "Where are we? Do you know?"
"I sense the sea, that way." Hyakkimaru pointed. "We should walk for a few more hours, then make camp. The cities on the road aren't going anywhere."
Hyakkimaru<<if $jukai_party is true>>, Jukai <</if>><<if $midoro_party is true>>,Midoro <</if>>and Dororo traveled for awhile, gathering early summer berries from the roadside. By the time they went to sleep that night, Dororo's hands were blue-red and sticky with berries.<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 2 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>"Isn't that pretty harsh?" Dororo asked. "I know they abandoned you and all, but isn't dismemberment pretty bloody?"
"Sure. But they didn't think about what they did to me before they acted. Why should I consider what they want?"
Dororo shrugged. "You could ask 'em first. Didn't the fox demon give you a name?"
"Daigo Kagemitsu. If we follow the main road, we'll come to a city eventually, and cities have public records. We'll find him."
Dororo nodded. "Where are we? Do you know?"
"I sense the sea, that way," he pointed. "We should walk for a few more hours, then make camp. The cities on the road aren't going anywhere."
Dororo and Hyakkimaru traveled for awhile, gathering early summer berries from the roadside. By the time they went to sleep that night, Dororo's hands were blue-red and sticky with berries.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 2]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<set $hurt to true>>"They're my parents. I want to know them. I need to meet them so I can understand what they did."
"You think they had a good reason?" Dororo asked.
As Hyakkimaru considered this question, a sudden chill came over him. He shivered all over and couldn't stand. Dororo got up and shook him, but he couldn't move.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!"
Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic senses went dim.
<center>Decrease Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic power by 30.</center><<set $psycho_power=0>>
What does Dororo do?
<center><<button[[Wait here for Hyakkimaru to recover.->Kind Path 2 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Find a doctor.->Kind Path 3 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>Elsewhere...
A full moon rose over the mountain path. A gentle breeze whispered through the new leaves on the willow trees. The sound of a biwa playing drifted down toward the road from a sprawling mountain estate.
The estate wasn't a residence. It was primarily used as a brewery, a brothel, and an add-on to the local shrine at the base of Mount Atago. There were rooms available to rent for travelers who passed through as well as stables for feeding and resting horses.
The song grew louder as the player began to sing in a strident voice. The sound of the music was coming from the inside the shrine. Roughly thirty people gathered in the large public square outside it to listen. Some were travelers. Others were aged men and women who lived in the area and were looking for a night's entertainment. Though the area all around was at war, this was a rare and precious moment of shared peace and joy.
Semimaru was playing the <i>Tale of the Heike</i> on his biwa. He had learned it from the Todōza guild, of which he was a member. The guild took in and educated blind men. Socially, he was likely the lowest-ranked man at the shrine, but men and women of every station, from the lowest to the highest, had heard him play this song.
The Todōza guild taught blind men many arts and skills, including the biwa, dramatic recitation, puppetry, acupuncture and massage. Semimaru's own past was a mystery, but he had certainly picked up his skills somewhere. And his musical talent was considerable. He held his audience enthralled as his voice rose and fell in the song.
As Semimaru reached the climax of the piece, his audience started to hum or sing along until the end. He set aside his biwa and gave greetings to the travelers who offered him coins and food for the song. Most people did offer him at least a little something. It was rare for them to get any sort of respite from the horrors of the outside world.
One of the monk's listeners lingered after the others had left. The man was well past middle age. He sat near Semimaru in the large open space of the shrine's main hall and stared at him without moving a muscle. Semimaru stared back. The two of them sat there silently for a long while. There was something vaguely threatening, or perhaps merely assessing, in the long stare that they exchanged.
The man wiped sweat from his forehead. Semimaru was also sweating. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut.
At long length, Semimaru frowned slightly, then chuckled.
The man smiled.
The tension between the two dissipated as if it had never existed.
"You, sir, are terrifying," the monk said.
"No more than you, sir," the man said.
Semimaru laughed brightly.
"My name is Jukai," the man said. "Might I offer you a drink?"
"I'm Semimaru, and I won't say no to a drink. Let's retire to one of the rooms in the shrine."
Jukai and Semimaru stood up.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 12 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<set $passageheader to true>><<set $hall_of_hell to false>><<set $temple to false>><<set $eguri_valley to false>><<set $hibikimaru to false>><<set $daigofortress to false>><<set $kurama to false>><<set $hurt to false>><<set $dororo_party to true>><<set $hyakki_party to true>><<set $midoro_party to false>><<set $nota_party to false>><<set $jukai_party to false>><<set $pirate_party to false>><<set $mio_party to false>><<set $ochika_party to false>><<set $taho_party to false>><<set $templevisit1 to false>><<set $templevisit2 to false>><<set $templevisit3 to false>><<set $visitedJukai=0>><center>Welcome to New Game+.
The end of the base game isn't the end of the story. This add-on takes the tale all the way to one of ten unique endings. Endings are determined by playstyle (Achievements) and the choices that make up Hyakkimaru and Dororo's personalities.
New Game+ routes are heavily based on three historical novels written by Toriumi Jinzō, the co-author of the base game. Scenes are often longer than in the base game, and choices have greater significance.
The most important factor in determining the ending of the game is traits. Traits are gained through Achievements, with each achievement adding a certain number of points to unlock a trait. The three traits are:
<img src="Images/Brutal.png">
BRUTAL: The Brutal trait gives Hyakkimaru a new ally, Genkai Namitarou. He is a pirate with smuggling connections and detailed knowledge of weaponry. Selecting a BRUTAL path will give Hyakkimaru more weapon options and a standing army of pirates at important parts of the game.
<img src="Images/Pragmatic.png">
PRAGMATIC: The Pragmatic trait gives Dororo a new ally, Ochika (Oujiya). Ochika is Dororo's mother, whom Dororo thought dead. As a bandit leader, Ochika has access to a standing army (cavalry) and intelligence on the armies and fortresses in the area. Selecting a PRAGMATIC path will give Hyakkimaru more opportunities to investigate a situation before he acts, and will give him more social checks based on the information he learns. Ochika will accompany Dororo at certain important parts of the game, with the potential to change their outcome.
<img src="Images/Kind.png">
KIND: The Kind trait gives Hyakkimaru a new ally, Jukai. Jukai is the doctor who raised him and made his artificial body. Selecting a KIND path will give Hyakkimaru access to medicine and repairs, and will give him more social checks to prevent or circumvent hostile encounters. Jukai will accompany Hyakkimaru for key events in the game and has the potential to change their outcome.
You have unlocked the following traits:
<center>KIND
PRAGMATIC
BRUTAL</center>
Select one of the buttons above to choose a path. If you qualify for multiple traits, select a combined path below. Selecting a combined path will give you all the benefits of each trait path.
<b>Note:</b> Only the path that includes all three traits will result in Hyakkimaru being physically whole at the end, having defeated all the demons--assuming you make all the right choices, of course.
<table><tbody><tr><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $pragmatic > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[ALL TRAITS->Prologue: All Traits Path]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $pragmatic > 2 >><center><<button[[BRUTAL AND PRAGMATIC->Prologue: Pragmatic and Brutal Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td></tr><tr><td><<if $brutal > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[KIND AND BRUTAL->Prologue: Kind and Brutal Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td><td><<if $pragmatic > 2 and $kind >2>><center><<button[[PRAGMATIC AND KIND->Prologue: Kind and Pragmatic Paths]]>><</button>></center><</if>></td></tr></tbody></table>
If you want to earn more achievements in the base game to unlock more traits first, select <b>Start a New Adventure</b> below. You will keep all your current achievements and progress toward unlocking traits.
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure.->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
Enjoy your adventure!</center>
<<set $revealbuttons to false>><<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai finally coaxed Hyakkimaru inside by saying that the food would get cold and that his leg wound might fester. He ate his soup away from Dororo and the other children, watching over them but not speaking.
<i>How did I end up back here?</i> he asked himself. He'd never wanted to return here. He hadn't thought that anything had survived.
After a long silence, Hyakkimaru said, "I fell in love with someone. A girl."
"What?" Jukai's eyes widened in the growing darkness. He couldn’t believe his ears, but at the same time, he was keenly interested. "Who is she? What’s she like?"
"She’s…very kind. I’m…kind of hopeless over her, to be honest."
Jukai grinned. "Well, that’s normal when you fall in love for the first time. You’ve really grown up." He paused, then asked brightly, "Where is she?"
"In the sky."
"The sky?"
"Her name was Mio," Hyakkimaru said. "She lived here in this temple and took care of the children."
"What happened to her?" Jukai asked.
"Samurai attacked the temple," Hyakkimaru said. "I couldn’t protect her. I’ll regret it forever."
Jukai tried to imagine Mio and Hyakkimaru taking care of the children together. He hated the demons for taking away a person so kind and blameless from this world—a person Hyakkimaru loved.
"So they killed her," Jukai breathed. "That’s awful."
"She’s dead, but I don't think she's gone," Hyakkimaru said. "It's strange... I feel like part of her might still be here."
"Feel? Like your psychokinesis? You sense her?"
Hyakkimaru nodded. "She would never leave this place if she had a choice."
Jukai was near tears. “I’d like to visit her grave.”
Hyakkimaru was touched by Jukai's consideration, though he wasn’t surprised by it.
"What do you think of naming this temple after her?" Jukai asked.
"That’s a good idea." Hyakkimaru smiled. "'Mio’s Temple.' We can name it that. I’m sure Mio would like it."
"Mio’s Temple," Jukai repeated. "I'll get to work rebuilding it and fixing it up. The poor children are like you were, in need of care. I’ll raise them, just like I raised you. I won’t have any more children of my own, but you might. It keeps me young, thinking about how children will be when they grow up.” He laughed.
<<if $temple is false>><<set $temple to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-26.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Mio's Temple<br>for choosing to stay in the ruined temple and fix it up.</i></center><center><i>You will now have the option of returning to Mio's Temple when Dororo and Hyakkimaru are injured or in need of help at critical story points.</i></center><</if>>
<<if $templevisit1 is false>>
<center>Show The Ruined Temple on the map?</center><br><center><<button "OPEN MAP" "Map">><<script>>Dialog.setup("Map", "Map"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Map").processText()); Dialog.open();<</script>><</button>></center><</if>><<set $templevisit1 to true>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 18 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<set $jukai_party to true>><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo led Jukai and Semimaru back to the camp where he'd left Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru was sitting up and trying to move himself without much success.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! You're awake!"
Hyakkimaru ignored Dororo for the moment. "Father..." There were so many things he wanted to say, but his words died in his throat.
Jukai climbed the path up to Hyakkimaru. "This monk helped lead me to you. I wouldn't have found you without his help."
"I could say the same thing about you, Lord Jukai," Semimaru said graciously. "But you should probably take a look at that left leg before we talk much more."
Jukai frowned. How did Semimaru know that Hyakkimaru's left leg, in particular, needed repair?
"Huh?" Dororo asked.
Semimaru didn't say anything else.
"I can walk, I think," Hyakkimaru said. "And anyway, we should find better shelter before we rest."
Everyone agreed.
Hyakkimaru leaned on Jukai as they traversed a mountain path with Dororo and Semimaru. They soon reached the remains of a burned temple, which was barely standing. Then Hyakkimaru collapsed to his knees.
"No," Hyakkimaru said, staring at the ground. "Not here..."
"Where are we, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo asked.
"Somewhere I lived... a long time ago." With great effort, he looked up at the ruined temple.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 5 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio tears_of_grass play>>The next morning, Hyakkimaru guided Jukai to the hill where Mio and many children were buried. It was a cool, crisp morning. The reflection of the sunlight on the red earth over Mio’s grave was dazzlingly bright.
Jukai approached the grave and bowed his head. He prayed for a long time. Since Hyakkimaru loved her, Jukai considered Mio to be like his own daughter.
The hill commanded a good view of the surrounding area. The summit of the mountain above glittered silver-white in the sunshine. Everything was peaceful and still. Jukai believed that this place was a good home for a compassionate woman to rest.
Hyakkimaru would soon have to travel beyond this mountain and go back out into the wide world. Jukai doubted the journey would be peaceful. The world outside this place was soaked in blood. Still, Jukai understood why he had to leave. He had to learn how and why he’d been cursed, for his own sake—and for Mio’s. It was likely that Hyakkimaru would have to kill people as well as demons to get the answers he sought.
What would happen when Hyakkimaru finally met Daigo Kagemitsu face-to-face? Would he simply kill him out of hatred? Would he cut off all four of Daigo’s limbs to make his father the same as he’d been at birth, watching him writhe on the ground like a worm?
Even Hyakkimaru didn’t know what he would do. Killing one’s own parents was a heinous, despicable act—and he had never met either one of them. He had reasons to hate his father based on what the demons had revealed, but no child ever wanted to kill their parents. What Hyakkimaru wanted was answers more than bloodshed. He wouldn’t stop searching for Daigo Kagemitsu; he couldn’t. He was like a moth drawn to the flame of fate. All he could do was hope was that his obsession to find his birth father didn’t consume him in the end.
Jukai stared down at Mio’s grave. "I’m sure she would have wanted you to stay," he said softly. "She didn’t want to die." He faced Hyakkimaru. "You must live," he said. "No matter what. Go and find your birth parents. Recover your body. But come back here alive. Your life is a precious thing. Don’t be reckless with it.” Tears trailed down his cheeks.
Hyakkimaru held Jukai's gaze and said nothing.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 19 - The Blood Moon]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $jukai_party to true>><<audio ":all" stop>>Leaving Hyakkimaru behind made Dororo feel heavier, but he had no choice. Dororo followed a narrow animal trail to a road heading into the mountains and started to climb. He was a strong climber and didn't stumble. If he went this way for an hour, maybe two, he would come to one of the big cities, and big cities usually had doctors.
There were two people standing in the shadow of a boulder just ahead. One was Semimaru, the old blind monk, and the other was someone he'd never met before.
"Semimaru!" Dororo waved. "We need help."
"Dororo? Is that you?"
Dororo nodded. "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> is back that way. He's hurt."
"You know this child?" the man with Semimaru asked. He was older, with a patchy white beard and a large hooked nose. His eyes were large and kind.
"More to the point, this child knows your son." Semimaru reached out and patted Dororo on the head. "You pretend to be a little demon, but you are truly an adorable child. You'd be even more adorable with new red clothes," he said speculatively.
"Don't touch me," Dororo snarled, batting Semimaru's hands away. He glared threateningly.
"You're blushing like a little girl," Semimaru said, chuckling. "You shouldn't be so rude in front of someone you just met."
Dororo pouted. "Come with me and help <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. I think he needs a doctor."
"I'm a doctor," Jukai said.
"Really?" Dororo asked.
"Really," Jukai said. "Show us where the patient is."
Dororo's Luck increases by 4 points.
<<set $luck_d to $luck_d + 4>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 4 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $jukai_party to true>><<audio ":all" stop>>"Semimaru!" Dororo looked up, then waved. "We need help."
"Dororo? Is that you?"
Dororo nodded. "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span> is over here. He's hurt."
"You know this child?" the man with Semimaru asked. He was older, with a patchy white beard and a large hooked nose. The gleam in his eyes was kind.
"More to the point, this child knows your son." Semimaru reached out and patted Dororo on the head. "You pretend to be a little demon, but you are truly an adorable child. You'd be even more adorable with new red clothes," he said speculatively.
"Don't touch me," Dororo snarled, batting Semimaru's hands away. He glared threateningly.
"You're blushing like a little girl," Semimaru said, chuckling. "You shouldn't be so rude in front of someone you just met."
Dororo pouted. "Help <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. I think he needs a doctor."
"I'm a doctor," Jukai said.
"Really?" Dororo asked.
"Really," Jukai said. "I can help."
<center> Dororo's Luck increases by 4 points.</center>
<<set luck_d=luck_d+4>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 15 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
It was almost autumn in the valley, and the colors of the leaves changed unusually quickly this year. It was getting close to sunset; the huts in the valley cast deep shadows. Dororo ran up to the rocky area by the stream and looked down, face dejected.
It had been almost a month since the battle at Daima Fortress. If Dororo had not broken in, the Hall of Hell demons wouldn't have been destroyed and Hyakkimaru would never have been able to face the final demon. He was a hero. Oujiya and Namitarou held a grand feast to celebrate their victory and Dororo's bravery.
But afterward, Jukai and Hyakkimaru left to go to the Ruined Temple, leaving Dororo behind. Dororo had wanted to go, too, but Jukai had scolded him.
"If you go, too, Oujiya will be lonely," he said. "Just stay here for a little while. I promise we'll be back."
Dororo glanced over at Ochika, who looked a bit tense. Dororo nodded sulkily.
Oujiya looked at Jukai with gratitude in her eyes.
It had been a month since they'd left Dororo here. She missed the Ruined Temple, and Hyakkimaru, and Jukai. Oujiya treated Dororo very well, but this place didn't feel like home.
After a week or so of staying in the valley, Ochika sent her lieutenant Saruyoshi to the Ruined Temple to get news on how everyone was doing
Three days after Hyakkimaru and Jukai passed into Echigo Province, Semimaru led Nui no Kata and Tahoumaru off secretly to hold funeral rites for Daigo Kagemitsu.
<i> Where is he now, anyway?</i> Dororo kicked at a rock.
***
The Hall of Hell demons were destroyed, but that didn't mean Hyakkimaru would get his body back. That was gone, forever. He still needed psychokinesis to see and move.
H ō ichi caught up to Hyakkimaru and Jukai on the road the night before their return to the Ruined Temple. Hyakkimaru pulled H ō ichi aside and said, "There must be more people who can use psychokinesis in the world," he said. "Right?"
"There must be," Hōichi agreed. "We know Jiraiya had it. His descendants likely did as well. It seems unlikely that you, me and Jukai are the only ones in the world. And Tahōmaru and Nui no Kata are related to you. It's possible that they have some psychokinetic potential themselves."
They had no proof that the Hall of Hell demons were truly gone. Even if they were gone for now, they might return someday, in some form. Evil spirits were like that: eternal in a way that living flesh was not, rising out of human lust and greed. If new Hall of Hell demons arose, someone needed to be ready to oppose them. Maybe that was why Hyakkimaru had asked Hōichi such a question. Now that his own quest was over, he might start looking for other people like himself.
***
Ochika approached Dororo by the stream. Even Eguri Valley wasn't safe from the Togashi Clan anymore, so the camp was preparing to move back to Noto Province.
"Do you hate Noto Province that much?" Ochika asked. She sounded strangely lonely and sad.
Dororo looked up at Ochika.
"You want to go home to the Ruined Temple." Ochika folded her arms. "I'm right, aren't I?"
Dororo didn't answer. He cast his eyes down.
"Hm," Ochika said. "Well, it's a little out of the way, but what do you think of stopping by Echigo Province before we go north?"
"Huh?" Dororo blinked at Ochika in surprise.
Ochika grinned. Her face was kind.
"Is it really okay if I go?" Dororo asked.
"You don't have to stay anywhere," Ochika said. "You can come and go as you please. And it's not like you can't visit me, or I can't visit you." She was still smiling. "If you're anything like me, you'll sneak out of the temple when it gets too boring for you."
Dororo's eyes lit up. "You're right. That's exactly what I'll do. The next time I get bored, I'll come to Noto Province."
Ochika laughed brightly. "I hope you never change."
Dororo looked up at Ochika. "I have something to ask you," he said.
"Oh? What is it?"
"Will you be my mom?"
"Dororo..." Tears sprang to Ochika's eyes. That was what Ochika wanted to hear more than anything else in the world. The idea that Dororo had chosen her for a mother gave her joy. To her, this felt better than confessing that she was Dororo's actual mother.
"Thanks, mom," Dororo said. He smiled.
***
Hyakkimaru walked down the road to Echigo Province alone. The mountain breeze was cool and crisp: it was the beginning of autumn. As he walked, Hyakkimaru remembered his mother's tears when they'd last parted. She had smiled at him then.
A shadow followed Hyakkimaru on the road. It was Dororo.
It wasn't clear if Hyakkimaru knew that Dororo was there or not. With the gentle wind fluttering his hair, Hyakkimaru walked down the mountain.
THE END
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $KINDPATH is true>>Dororo, Hyakkimaru<<if $jukai_party is true>> and Jukai<</if>> left Osushi behind and kept traveling until they reached a temple where they decided to sleep for the night.
<</if>>That night, Dororo had a dream.
Dororo's father waved a heavy club, swaying unsteadily on his feet. Four spearmen pressed the attack, one in every direction. " Bastards, " he spat. "Don't make light of me. You must think I'm soft."
But his legs were badly injured, and his attackers knew it. He collapsed to the ground with a wound in his side. The other spearmen moved in, skewering all of his limbs. He grunted, but made no other sound.
"Ah!" Dororo's mother held her three-year-old child to her chest and cried out.
"Mommy?" Dororo asked.
"My son." His mother hugged Dororo to her chest as they wept.
Then, they were traveling over a high mountain ridge and got caught in a blizzard.
"Help!" Dororo yelled. "My mom is… "
Dororo was covered in snow from head to foot and shivering violently. He was knee-deep in a white wilderness devoid of people. He wanted to run and get help faster, but going faster only made him trip and fall. He rolled down the cliff, then stumbled to h is feet again.
“Mom...”
Dororo awoke from a very deep sleep. He was burning up with fever and his back hurt like he’d been stabbed. He had dreamed of falling from an endless cliff. He’ d kept falling without reaching the ground. Now that he was awake, he remembered that he had fallen from a cliff before falling asleep.
<i>Sometimes dreams match reality...huh.</i>
The dream had shown him things he'd rather not see or remember, but there was something strangely nostalgic about it. He was alone in the wilderness again, just like he'd been back then. It was no surprise that he would miss his parents.
Well... not exactly alone. Hyakkimaru was asleep nearby. Dororo heard him breathing.
His father's murder had been unspeakably violent, but what disturbed Dororo more than the deed itself was that he didn't know why. Why had those spearmen killed his father? What reason could they possibly have? What reason did those samurai bastards have for killing all those women and children at the wall?
Dororo had run for so long in the snow and cold, trying desperately to save his mother. So much time had passed since then that Dororo couldn't even remember his mother's face clearly anymore.
<i>Did my parents come and visit me in a dream or something? Why would they do that?</i> Dororo shook his head. But he remembered his own past now, when he hadn’t before. His mother had called him their son. Dororo snorted. "It was just a dream."
He turned toward Hyakkimaru. "Yo, aniki. you awake?"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 3 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru turned over. "What is it?"
Dororo frowned. "Nothing. Sorry."
Hyakkimaru sat up.
"What's wrong?"
"Get up," Hyakkimaru said. "There's a demon under our feet."<<if $midoro_party is true>>
Midoro snorted in worry.<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true>>
"I'll wake up Jukai," Dororo said.<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 4 - Battle with the Red Centipede]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru got on the main road leading to the sea early the next morning. Hyakkimaru felt overwhelming pressure at the idea of the journey that lay ahead of him. His journey had scarcely begun. He still had such a long way to go. This place wasn't like his home at all. The endless chain of mountain peaks was completely unfamiliar.
<i>Will I even find what I'm looking for?</i>
Finding Kagemitsu Daigo was like finding one specific needle on a mountain of needles, but he felt like he had to try.
When Hyakkimaru and Dororo entered the port city of Tsuruga, it was past noon. Soldiers gathered in the streets and at every waypoint and checking station. Hyakkimaru looked at them with wary eyes. They clutched their spears and swords tightly in their hands, but didn't spare wanderers like Hyakkimaru and Dororo more than a passing glance.
Hyakkimaru stopped on the street in front of an old man. The old man got up and nearly fled in alarm at being approached by a stranger, but when Hyakkimaru asked him politely where the commercial part of the port was, he relaxed and gave him directions.
Tsuruga was a lively sort of place despite the fact that the province was very much at war. Many merchants were lined up along the harbor and there were several taverns and places to eat. Outside a brothel, a group of women sized up the men who passed and whispered comments back and forth.
Dororo skipped past the brothels, blushing furiously, and acquired rice balls from a street vendor that he munched on as they walked.
There were ships from Ezo in northern Japan, the Seto Inland Sea, Kyūshū and other places lined up in the harbor, so close that they crammed each other in. High-ranked sailors in charge of shipping supplies hurried their lower-ranked compatriots along as they unloaded cargo from the ships.
Hyakkimaru knew that Genkai Namitarō, a pirate and a friend of his father Jukai, often stopped in Tsuruga on his way to visit Jukai at his estate on Mount Kurama. Hyakkimaru had been raised on that estate and had spent almost his entire life there.
Hyakkimaru's hand went reflexively to the sword at his hip, which was concealed beneath his clothes. He had received it from Namitarō as a gift.
Four or five berths down, he noticed a familiar flag: a Chinese red dragon surrounded by gold and silver stars.
Namitarō's ship, the <i>Echo</i>, was in port.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 3]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>> - There's more, but it's not loaded in yet!
<<return>><<audio ":all" stop>>The nights were growing colder. Hyakkimaru and Dororo had decided to stay in Mio's Temple for a short while until the children had more food and supplies, but the lack of movement made Hyakkimaru feel restless. He couldn't sleep. He looked out one broken window of the before heading outside alone. He stepped over Dororo, who was snoring loudly with both hands over his stomach.
Outside, the moon shone blood red at the horizon line; moonrise was happening on the mountain, so the moon seemed to get bigger and redder as he stared at it.
"Uh... is that a bad sign?" Hyakkimaru muttered.
He did think that the moon seemed odd, but he didn't think that he was in any danger while he stayed near the temple. He sat on a slanted rock and reclined slightly, looking up at the stars. The garden where Mio and the children grew food and flowers was surrounded by trees, but his view of the sky was unobstructed.
Hyakkimaru heard a whistle from somewhere in the trees. It sounded a little like a white's thrush. The bird's call was a haunting sound that was said to bring bad luck.
The sky above his head, which had been clear when he'd first come outside, went hazy with mist and fog, as if he were viewing it through a silk screen. Wild monkeys screeched somewhere nearby. Hyakkimaru didn't understand what was happening; most of the time, the wild monkeys weren't active at night.
"Excuse me," someone said from behind him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 20 - The Blood Moon]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru turned and saw a woman standing behind him. She appeared to be about thirty years old, though it was hard to tell. Her face was covered by a partial veil. Her kimono was richly patterned with red and yellow flowers. She was probably a member of the Imperial Court, by her dress, or perhaps a member of a samurai family. She appeared unearthly in the dim red light of the moon.
"Hello," Hyakkimaru said politely. "Who are you?" She was obviously wealthy--and alone--so he didn't want to scare her.
The woman didn't seem to hear him. "Are you Hyakkimaru?" she asked.
"Huh?" Hyakkimaru tilted his head. He was certain that he'd never met her before... how did she know his name?
"Um, excuse me," Hyakkimaru said, "but I really need to know who you are before I give you my name."
The woman lifted her veil, revealing her face. She was ethereally beautiful, but her unreal quality unsettled him. There was something frightening about her beauty, but he couldn't quite figure out why.
"Do you recognize this?" she asked, holding out a small kimono in both hands. It was patterned like her own, with red and yellow flowers.
Hyakkimaru did recognize it. Jukai had shown it to him when telling him that his birth parents had abandoned him. Someone had wrapped him in it when he was a baby.
"Why are you here?" Hyakkimaru asked. "What do you want?"
"Want?" The woman's forehead creased. "If you are Hyakkimaru... then I'm your mother."
"What?"
The woman wept into her sleeve. Hyakkimaru held himself rigidly still. His mother had come to find him. The idea excited him so much that he briefly forgot himself and asked, "If you're my mother, then who is my father?"
"A samurai lord and a great general," she said.
Hyakkimaru blinked. He couldn't tell if she was lying. He'd expected to get a name from her, since he already knew his father's name. "A samurai general...what is his name?"
"You will learn that when you come to meet him," the woman said. "He is a very powerful warrior and is frequently away at war, but he's finally returned home. I've come here to bring you to him. Come." She extended her hand.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru attacks her. ->Kind Path 21 - The Blood Moon]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru goes with her. ->Dead End: Never Trust Strangers]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The moon rose high in the sky as they came closer to the temple. It was a temple in name only; it was so old and poorly maintained that the roof was collapsing on one side and several dark shingles had fallen off. The walls were crumbling, too. It was amazing that the entire structure hadn't fallen to ruin already. The area surrounding the temple was overgrown with grass and weeds.
"It's so rundown," Dororo grumbled. "It doesn't look like any priests have lived here for a while."
"It's a ruin, but at least's it's got a roof to keep off the rain," Jukai said.
"Part of one, anyway," Dororo muttered.
"We can't stay." Hyakkimaru struggled to his feet. "We should get back on the road."
"Wait!" Dororo stared fixedly at the partially exposed main hall of the temple. Something was moving in the doorway. "A demon!" He pulled out his blowgun and darts from his sleeve.
Encountering a demon here wasn't impossible. There were lots of stories about monsters and demons haunting temple ruins. Dororo readied a dart and prepared to fire.
"Calm down, Dororo," Semimaru said. "It's a child."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 6 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai and Semimaru moved closer, being careful not to startle Takeo or the other children. "Who is taking care of you?" Jukai asked Takeo.
"Nobody." Takeo let go of Hyakkimaru. "We take care of ourselves. Though that's harder, with winter coming on."
Hyakkimaru's throat felt tight. Words failed him. He was far from the only abandoned child in the world: the evidence of that was right before his eyes. Dororo was an orphan. Mio had been an orphan. This world was so unfair.
Hyakkimaru didn't feel like he could stay here for one second longer. "We should go, Dororo," he said.
"Yeah," Dororo said, more than a little sadly.
"Wait," Jukai said. "We wanted shelter to fix your leg, and you have other injuries. I can help these children as well as you. I think we should stay."
"I agree," Semimaru said. "This place won't last the winter unless some repairs are made."
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo stay.->Kind Path 16 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo abandon the children.->Kind Path 8 - Going after Daigo Kagemitsu]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Will you really stay?" Takeo asked, eyes wet with tears.
"We will," Jukai said, looking to Hyakkimaru for confirmation. Hyakkimaru nodded. "Do I smell something cooking?"
"Soup," Takeo said. "Even I can make soup."
Jukai smiled down at the small child, who was missing an arm. "Would you let me help? I have spices. And medicines."
Takeo nodded and led Jukai into the temple. Dororo and Semimaru followed, with Hyakkimaru staying in the doorway as if he were forbidden from going in.
The temple had obviously been abandoned long ago. Scattered black roof tiles lay all over the exterior courtyard. There were no statues or iconography of the Buddha inside, or even any prayer bells or meditation mats. Torn and dirty sutras and prayer scrolls were piled in the main hall's corners. Most of the wooden floor had rotted away, revealing bare earth. The flooring that had survived creaked when weight was placed on it. It was likely that the temple had been attacked by bandits before it had been burned by demons. Nothing of value remained inside the temple's walls.
"Hi, mister!" one of the girls called out to Dororo as he came inside.
Dororo smiled before he realized it. He laughed, a little from nerves and a little from the open curiosity that he saw on the other children's faces. His stomach growled; he was hungry.
The temple kitchen was behind the main hall. Like the rest of the structure, it was in ruins, but one corner was clean and scrupulously kept. There was fire set in one surviving stove. A pot of stew hung over the flames. After making a few adjustments, Jukai removed the large pot from the fire and carried it back into the main hall.
The children scurried all around Dororo and Jukai. The smell of fresh wild vegetables wafted through the room as the Jukai lifted the lid off the pot.
Dororo's eyes went huge and round. "It smells fantastic." The other children laughed happily at his strange expression.
Jukai ladled the stew into wooden bowls. The children were overjoyed to share their meal. They were very isolated in this temple and had been very lonely since Mio died.
The children took an immediate liking to Dororo, though this affection was, more often than not, pestering. Dororo was thrust into the role of babysitter before he realized what was happening. When the children lined themselves up and stretched out to sleep after dinner, Dororo told them an old story he'd heard from his mother a long time ago. The children listened with interest for a long time before they finally drifted off to sleep.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 17 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"No," Hyakkimaru said. "I have to continue my quest. I can't stop here. This place shouldn't exist."
Takeo cried and hid behind Jukai. The other children were absolutely grief-stricken.
"Very well," Jukai said uncomfortably. "Let me do some repairs on your leg, and then you can be on your way."
"You won't come with us, mister?" Dororo asked.
Jukai shook his head. "I'll stay here and help the children. They won't last the winter otherwise."
Semimaru nodded. "I, too, shall remain for a short while."
Hyakkimaru nodded.
Jukai made makeshift repairs to his leg.
<center>Increase Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic power by 30.
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power+30>>
Decrease Hyakkimaru's Luck by 4.
<<set $luck_h=$luck_h-4>></center>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 9 - Going after Daigo Kagemitsu]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru retraced their steps until they were back at the ruined temple.
"Hi, mister!" one of the girls called out to Dororo as he came inside. Hyakkimaru lingered in the doorway. He'd agreed to come back, but he still wasn't completely sure that he should stay.
Dororo smiled before he realized it. He laughed, a little from nerves and a little from the open curiosity that he saw on the other children's faces. His stomach growled; he was hungry.
The temple kitchen was behind the main hall. Like the rest of the structure, it was in ruins, but one corner was clean and scrupulously kept. There was fire set in one surviving stove. A pot of stew hung over the flames. After making a few adjustments, Jukai removed the large pot from the fire and carried it back into the main hall.
The children scurried all around Dororo and Jukai. The smell of fresh wild vegetables wafted through the room as the Jukai lifted the lid off the pot.
Dororo's eyes went huge and round. "It smells fantastic." The other children laughed happily at his strange expression.
Jukai ladled the stew into wooden bowls. The children were overjoyed to share their meal. They were very isolated in this temple and had been very lonely since Mio died.
The children took an immediate liking to Dororo, though this affection was, more often than not, pestering. Dororo was thrust into the role of babysitter before he realized what was happening. When the children lined themselves up and stretched out to sleep after dinner, Dororo told them an old story he'd heard from his mother a long time ago. The children listened with interest for a long time before they finally drifted off to sleep.
Hyakkimaru's Luck increases by 4 points.
<<set $luck_h=$luck_h+4>>
Dororo's Luck increases by 1 point.
<<set $luck_d=$luck_d+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 17 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo continued down the mountain. Banmon was visible in the distance, abandoned at this time of night. The arrows that had killed the innocent villagers were still stuck in the wood.
"I don't like this place, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>."
"Neither do I. But that samurai commander must be from around here. We should ask around."
Dororo nodded unhappily.
The villagers were fearful and refused to speak to Dororo and Hyakkimaru, since they came from the other side of Banmon.
"No one crosses Banmon," one woman said, wide-eyed. "It's illegal. Our lord would never allow it."
"And who is your lord?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Lord Daigo." She spat. "Little good though it does us."
"Where is he?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"He left for war this morning," the woman said. "He's heading for the capital."
Dororo made a face. "We have to catch him, don't we?"
<center><<button[[Dororo and Hyakkimaru chase after Kagemitsu Daigo.->The Red Death]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru and Dororo return to the temple.->Kind Path 22 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
Jukai had left Mount Kurama to follow after Hyakkimaru some days before. He wasn't sure exactly where Hyakkimaru was going, but he assumed that they would be following the main road through the province for a while, at least. There was no need for him to hurry. Hyakkimaru could take care of himself. Jukai wasn't following him out of concern or fear, but out of curiosity. He wanted to see where Hyakkimaru's quest to find his birth father and his body parts led him.
Jukai traveled all the way to Wakasa Province and saw no sign of Hyakkimaru. The nights were cold for early summer and Jukai had no desire to camp out in the open, so he stopped in Tsuruga and stayed the night at Kehi Shrine. He'd stopped at Atago Shrine after a long day of travel and rested awhile. He'd heard Semimaru's lute playing and had come closer to enjoy the music.
Jukai and Semimaru sat down in a room in the shrine and drank sake together. At first sight, Jukai knew that Semimaru was a master of his instrument. For his part, Semimaru understood that Jukai was much more skilled and educated than an ordinary traveler.
They spoke about music for a while. Semimaru had memorized many songs. Jukai was curious about where Semimaru had received his education.
Jukai's eyes dropped to Semimaru's lute. "That's a clever way to conceal a weapon," he said.
Semimarui laughed bitterly. "I should have expected you to see right through the sword's disguise, Lord Jukai." He paused. "You should remain here, or go home. Visiting any of the nearby provinces in the coming days will bring you nothing but disaster."
"Hm," Jukai said. "I know you can see things that others can't, so I have no doubt that you're right. But I can't turn back now. I haven't found who I'm looking for yet."
"What does he look like?" Semimaru asked. "I might have seen him."
Jukai was skeptical. A blind man couldn't be expected to identify a person based on a physical description.
"Let's see, let's see... I met a young man, seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a kosode but no hakama. He was carrying a sword."
Jukai leaned forward. "Did he give you his name?"
"I didn't ask," Semimaru said. "There was no reason to."
"I see," Jukai said. He picked up his tea bowl and drank some of the steaming liquid. There were many young travelers on the road these days, and swords were common. It was unlikely that Semimaru had actually met Hyakkimaru.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 13 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio weird play>>The world was red.
The earth, the grass, the wind—everything was red for as far as the eye could see. Fields of corpses lay still, coated in blood that glinted like metal in the light of the setting sun. There were so many corpses; it was impossible to count them all. The sun burned along the horizon line, fallen to earth just like all of the dead bodies.
A red world.
Hyakkimaru wandered through the field of corpses, staggering onward despite severe injuries. He had no idea where he was. He'd even forgotten his own name. He had no desire to remember it, or anything else. All of the fallen on the battlefield had names once: precious names given to them by parents who had loved them and carefully raised them. He didn't want to think about such things. There was no way to return the dead to life.
Dororo was nowhere to be seen, lost in the sea of red death.
This was disputed territory. Hyakkimaru saw flags flying for the different factions that he didn't recognize. Most of the flags had been trampled into the bloody dirt. He remembered desperate fighting: being attacked, killing enemies. But he wasn't on anyone's side but his own.
Why had the war broken out? What was it <i>for?</i> The answers didn't matter. He was aware that he was alive, and that it was growing dark. He knew nothing else for certain.
Eventually, Hyakkimaru stopped walking. He couldn't bear the pain of his injuries and his aloneness any longer. His vision dimmed, going black around the edges, which was something of a relief from the world's unrelenting redness.
He was dying, but he wasn't afraid. Perhaps he should have been afraid, but the battlefield, the war, and everything around him seemed useless, worthless, utterly without purpose. He felt no fear because there was nothing left now for him to lose. He had failed to get back his body, failed to kill the demons, failed to hunt down the family that had abandoned him. Perhaps he was doomed to failure from the start.
It was quiet all around. The silence soothed him deeply. He collapsed on a pile of nameless bodies and smiled a little in relief. His body felt so heavy. The world was so red. But it was quiet: quiet and calm at last. He'd be content if he were allowed to simply sleep here forever.
<i>Red...</i>
His eyes were open, but he didn't believe what he was seeing.
<i>Let this be a lie.</i>
<i>None of this can be true.</i>
<i>I hate it.</i>
The faces of the dead men he was seeing now were all indistinguishable. They were more decomposing, eyes consumed by vultures and crows.
The land beyond the battlefield sloped gently away in a line of rolling hills.
Hyakkimaru realized that he didn't want to die here, among the restless spirits of the dead soldiers. He waved his sword around wildly, expending his limited energy to get elsewhere. Anywhere. Not here.
<i>Will anything even change if I die? Is the afterlife any different?</i>
His hands shook violently with fear. Something bright in the northern sky pierced his eyes.
<i>This world isn't fit for humans to live in.</i>
Hyakkimaru followed the source of bright light in the sky. It was the only thing that wasn't red.
<i>This world belongs to demons and monsters.</i>
Wandering through the battlefield like a blade of cut grass caught on the wind, Hyakkimaru went quietly insane. He cut down his opponents on reflex without truly seeing them.
Suddenly, Hyakkimaru heard high-pitched, hysterical laughter: his own.
<i>A world of demons...</i>
Hyakkimaru was lost and had no one to appeal to. He collapsed to his knees and screamed with the full weight of his soul behind it.
He finally found Dororo, half-buried beneath the corpse of a warhorse and warrior that he'd shot in the neck with his blowgun. Like the warrior, Dororo was dead.
Hyakkimaru collapsed to his knees and opened his stomach with his own sword.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited18 is false>><<set $visited18 to true>><<set $red_death to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-25.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><i>You have earned the Achievement - The Red Death
for rushing headlong into a war that was impossible to win.</i></center>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo called out, "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" as the demon vanished behind a thick haze. The moon overhead was silver again and no longer shone red.
Jukai and Dororo had heard the screeching of the wild monkeys and came running. Hyakkimaru should have called for them as soon as he'd seen the woman. This temple was abandoned, after all, so there was no reason for anyone to come here.
"Hyakkimaru, are you all right?" Jukai asked.
"Um..." Now that the demon was gone, exhaustion and his half-healed injuries caught up with him, and he fell. He clutched at his right eye, which felt like it was on fire.
Jukai caught him before he could hurt himself. He noticed that one of Hyakkimaru's knee joints was smoldering and quickly removed it, dropping it to the ground before it could burn him.
"What caused that?" Dororo asked. "Can demons use fire?"
"This wasn't caused by a demon," Jukai said.
"Huh? Then how did it happen?" Dororo asked.
"Hyakkimaru did it."
Hyakkimaru looked confused as well. "How did I... do this?" His hands were over his eye; he winced, and his prosthetic eye fell out.
"You were enraged and lost control of your psychokinesis," Jukai said.
Dororo nodded, but he still looked confused.
Hyakkimaru clutched his artificial eye on one hand while covering his new right eye as it grew in. Everything hurt. He saw double for a few minutes as his vision adjusted.
<img src="Images/BodyPart1.png">
<center><i>You have regained Hyakkimaru's right eye! It will appear on the Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $right_eye to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><<set $psycho_power=0>><<audio win play>>
<center>Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis is no longer working. Psychokinetic power is set to 0. </center>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 26 - Return to the Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle9 > "200">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle9 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle9 > "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 23 - Blood Moon]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle9 < "200">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 24 - Dead End]]>><</button>></center><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "200">><<audio success play>>
<</if>><<if $battle7 > "200">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 > "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 23 - Blood Moon]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "200">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 24 - Dead End]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru was infuriated that the demon had tried to trick him by pretending to be his mother. He focused all of his psychokinetic energy into his sword arms.
The demon took flight, hovering above him and trying to stab him with her preternaturally long hair. He leaped to his feet and dodged when it dived at him, then brought the blade of his sword down on the demon woman's skull.
The sword made a strange sound as it connected with the woman. A moment later, her body went indistinct around the edges, as if it were covered by fog.
<<if $aware is false>><<set $aware to true>><<set $FivePercent to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-28.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Body Awareness<br>for recovering enough body parts from demons to sense your human pieces. <br>A list of recovered body parts will now appear on the Adventure Card.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<<set $psycho_power=0>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 25 - Right Eye Regained]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio wreck play>>Dororo called out, "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>!" as the demon vanished behind a thick haze. The moon overhead was silver again and no longer shone red.
Jukai and Dororo had heard the screeching of the wild monkeys and came running. Hyakkimaru should have called for them as soon as he'd seen the woman. This temple was abandoned, after all, so there was no reason for anyone to come here.
"Hyakkimaru, are you all right?" Jukai asked.
Hyakkimaru fell, unconscious from overexertion and a loss of self-control.
Jukai caught him before he could hurt himself. He noticed that one of Hyakkimaru's knee joints was smoldering, followed by his leg. He let Hyakkimaru go and told Dororo and the temple children to get water.
"What caused that?" Dororo asked. "Can demons use fire?"
"This wasn't caused by a demon," Jukai said.
"Huh? Then how did it happen?" Dororo asked.
"Hyakkimaru did it. He was enraged and lost control of his psychokinesis," Jukai said.
Dororo nodded, but he still looked confused. "Will he wake up?"
"I don't know."
Jukai managed to douse the fire eating away at Hyakkimaru's limbs. Hours turned into days as Hyakkimaru was nursed by Jukai, Dororo and the children in the temple.
But Hyakkimaru never regained consciousness. The demon woman watched over him from above the temple, cackling with glee.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited19 is false>><<set $visited19 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Together, Dororo and Jukai carried Hyakkimaru back to Mio's Temple. Semimaru boiled water for tea and asked what had happened.
"Here's some sake," Dororo said, bringing cups of rice wine from the temple kitchen.
Jukai looked at Dororo suspiciously. "Why did you get sake, of all things? You didn't drink any, did you?"
"Maybe I did and maybe I didn't. My dad taught me all about it."
"Did he now?" Jukai said. He shook his head a little in exasperation.
Semimaru accepted sake and drank it in a single gulp. He smacked his lips together, then frowned. "About when we met for the first time," he said.
Hyakkimaru remembered. He'd told Semimaru that he was looking for a happier world.
"Hatred has power," Semimaru said. "It can make you strong, but it has a cost. Samurai are encouraged to act on their ambitions and desires these days, instead of helping others. That sword of yours doesn't help matters."
"What do you mean?"
"Try drawing your demon-killing sword right now."
Hyakkimaru did, and found it strangely heavy. He felt clumsy with it in his hand, and the strange weakness he'd felt after the demon died overwhelmed him so fast that he nearly passed out.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo asked.
"Your sword is demonic sword. It absorbed your energy as you trained and fought with it," Semimaru said. "The demon you killed took advantage of your weakened state and is trying to corrupt your weapon."
"Then that means... psychokinesis won't help you to control that sword," Jukai said.
"Then what will?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"First, you must recover," Semimaru said.
Hyakkimaru bit back what he wanted to say next. He didn't understand what Semimaru wanted or expected him to do. Physically, he was fine--or would be in a day or two. There was no reason for him to rest any longer when the demons were hunting him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 27 - Return to the Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Noticing Hyakkimaru's confusion, Jukai took a stab at explaining what Semimaru meant. "It's possible that psychokinesis was never enough in the first place," he said. "Some of the demons you've encountered have changed shape instead of dying, even when attacked with your demon-killing sword. I thought that this happened because the powers of the demons who stole from you are mature while yours are not, but now I wonder if using psychokinesis wasn't the right way to kill the demons to start with."
"But psychokinesis is obviously good for something," Hyakkimaru said. "My limbs move. I can see and hear and smell. Why wouldn't I be able to use it to fight the demons?"
"It's true that psychokinesis restored your ability to function—in some ways, you've gotten back what the demons stole from you already. And you were born with an incredibly strong will to live. You've surpassed the capabilities of most ordinary people." Jukai thought for a moment. "You've stalled in development before. Remember? You weren't born being able to hear and see and speak. There may be another force at work here—something more powerful than psychokinesis."
"More powerful than psychokinesis?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Is it something I can acquire? What do I have to do? And what if you're wrong?"
"I might be," Jukai said. "I don't know. But I do think you need to rest to recover your psychokinetic energy. It's possible that Semimaru knows how to encourage or guide you to this other power."
Hyakkimaru's acquisition of psychokinesis had been hard-fought. If hard work was required for what came next, then he would work as he'd always done.
Jukai remembered finding Hyakkimaru floating in a basin in the reeds on the shore of the Takano River. Both he and Hyakkimaru had been attacked by strange lightning. Jukai had dispersed the lightning that attacked him with his own psychokinesis and a Buddhist prayer gesture, but Hyakkimaru had been protected by the sacred mountain looming overhead. Jukai had always believed that the god of Iwakura Shrine had saved baby Hyakkimaru from danger, since the shrine was at the foot of the mountain.
Semimaru nodded. "Mount Monju to the north has an Iwakura Shrine. It was blessed by the compassionate god Manjushri and is protected by his power. You should go there."
"I've heard of a mountain sacred to Manjushri in China, but not one in Japan," Jukai said.
"Manjushri still has a broad base of power no matter where you go, but Mount Monju is special." He turned toward Hyakkimaru. "If Manjushri truly is your protector, young man, then you should climb that mountain and perform Manjushri's mantra. Do this, and I'm sure he'll restore your psychokinetic powers to what they once were."
"What is Manjushri's mantra?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"On, ah, mi, ra, un, ka, sa, raku is how you spell it. Chanted out, it sounds like ‘on abira un kashal.' The mantra will open your mind to the god's wisdom."
Hyakkimaru nodded decisively. "Thank you for telling me. I'll do it."
Semimaru smiled as brightly as a sunrise. Jukai sighed openly in relief.
<<if $templevisit2 is false>><center><<button[[Stay at the temple for awhile.->The Ruined Temple]]>><<set $templevisit2 to true>><<set $templevisit1 to false>><</button>></center><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue your quest.->Kind Path 28 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio tears_of_grass play>>The next morning, Hyakkimaru stood before Mio's grave alone.
"Mio. I'm leaving soon. I'm going to Mount Monju to look for Manjushri, and then I have to track down my birth father. I promise that I'll kill all the demons and come back."
It could just be an auditory hallucination, or wishful thinking, but Hyakkimaru thought he could hear Mio's voice say, "I'll always be with you. I'm sure Manjushri will heed your prayer and project you."
Hyakkimaru stood at the very edge of the hill and looked up at the northern sky. Mount Monju was there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 29 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, those look like some tasty persimmons. We should get some!"
Dororo had been trying to get Hyakkimaru’s attention all day, but Hyakkimaru didn’t spare Dororo so much as a second glance. He stared straight ahead and kept walking. He had a lot on his mind--his father's location was just the tip of the iceberg. Usually he liked Dororo's chatter, but not today. Today, he was already too distracted by his own thoughts and preoccupations.
Dororo waved his hands overhead, still trying to distract Hyakkimaru. Scowling, he threw a rock into the higher reaches of the persimmon tree, dislodging a few fruits that fell. Hyakkimaru didn’t pick up any of the fruits and left Dororo to gather them himself.
Picking up a likely-looking large persimmon, Dororo bit in, then almost immediately spat it out. “Yikes! These are sour!” The persimmon he’d eaten was far from ripe, and his face contorted into a variety of weird expressions.
Any other person on the road would have noticed Dororo’s antics and perhaps been amused by them, but not Hyakkimaru. He kept walking.
“Aren’t you gonna say something, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?” Dororo asked. “You look like you just came from a funeral or somethin’. It makes me not want to steal your sword arm anymore.”
“Then don’t,” Hyakkimaru said with more force than was strictly necessary.
“Don’t?” Dororo snorted. “You think that’s an option, <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>? No, I’ll just take care of you until you feel better. That’s when I’ll make my move.”
“Who asked you to take care of me?” Hyakkimaru asked.
“No one has to ask!” Dororo answered cheerfully. “Friends take care of each other, <span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>, even without asking.”
“Who says we’re friends?”
“C'mon, we're totally friends!<<if $galatea_start is true>>Besides, Miss Mio seemed to think we were..." Dororo bit his lip. "It's hard to tell since she can't talk, but she smiled at us an awful lot.”<</if>>
“Go away,” Hyakkimaru said. <<if $galatea_start is true>>“Don’t remind me of what happened. Not right now.”<</if>> He whirled on Dororo, towering over him. Dororo had never seen Hyakkimaru look so terrifying before.
“I mean it,” Hyakkimaru said after a long pause. “You should leave me alone for awhile.”
Dororo waited for Hyakkimaru to say more. When he didn’t, Dororo’s mouth dropped open. “Eh?”
"I’m saying that you should go back to the temple for now," Hyakkimaru said. <<if $galatea_start is true>>He thought he would be fine leaving Mio with Jukai and the children, but Dororo kept reminding him of her, which made him remember when the temple had burned.<</if>> He was on edge and wanted to unleash his old rage without worrying about Dororo being in the way.
"You said I should leave?" Dororo asked.
Hyakkimaru was thinking about Dororo’s safety as well, but Dororo didn’t interpret his words that way. He felt like Hyakkimaru had poured cold water in his ear while he was sleeping.
Dororo shook his head. “You’re just in a bad mood. It’ll pass.” Dororo blew air into his cheeks and put on his best smile. “Let’s go! We’re wasting time.”
Hyakkimaru removed his prosthetic left arm, revealing the blade beneath.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 82 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"Whoa, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>," Dororo said, stepping back. Hyakkimaru was obviously angrier than he’d thought. "There’s no need to wave that sword around! Keep doing that, and I might get scared!"
Turnabout was fair play. Hyakkimaru had ignored Dororo, and Dororo had ignored his command to leave. Dororo still thought that Hyakkimaru threatening him with a sword was overkill.
"So you really wanna ditch me that bad, huh," Dororo said, putting more space between him and Hyakkimaru. "You gotta be more clear. Sometimes I, uh, just don’t get it..." Dororo started spouting nonsense. It was a defense mechanism. He often did that when he was upset or angry, and it was easier and less wounding to his pride than begging Hyakkimaru to let him stay.
"If you want the sword, take it," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo stood dumbstruck in the road. "Take it? Are you stupid? That’s not how this works! I can’t steal it from you if you give it to me, ya moron."
By this point, Hyakkimaru should have realized that Dororo would stick by him through everything. Perhaps he did realize it, but didn’t want to admit it.
"You never understand me at all, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>. I’m so tired of it," Dororo said. Tears streamed down his face that he brushed hastily away.
Dororo laughed, still crying, though he was trying to pull himself together. “Hehehe!”
"Little boy, why are you crying?"
Dororo looked behind him and saw a woman standing in the road. The woman blinked rapidly, looking at Dororo with an expression of bewilderment.
"Uh... who are you, lady?" Dororo asked.
"I’m just passing by." She smiled.
"Well, I wasn’t crying. Get your eyes checked," Dororo said. He looked more closely at the woman. She reminded him of someone. Indeed, the woman was the spitting image of his own mother.
When Dororo thought to look for Hyakkimaru again, he was gone, but that bothered him less now. The woman that looked like his mother had his full attention.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 83 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"My home isn’t far. Why don’t you rest there for a while before you go chasing after your friend again?"
Her voice was so kind. Dororo agreed to her idea and followed her down the road. As they walked, Dororo kept sneaking glances at the woman.
“Hm? Is there something on my face?” the woman asked. “Why do you keep staring at me?”
“It’s nothing,” Dororo said. “You just look like my mom, is all.”
“I see.” The woman seemed amused. Dororo didn’t know why.
They reached the house. The woman made tea and poured it for both of them. Then she asked, “What was your mother like?”
“Uh... what do you mean?” Dororo asked.
“What I said.”
“Most people are surprised when I tell them about my mom.”
“Why?”
“’Cuz she was a thief,” Dororo said. “And a bandit.”
The woman’s eyes widened. Dororo rarely spoke of his past to anyone. Even Hyakkimaru didn’t know about Dororo’s parents.
The truth was that both of Dororo’s parents had been world-famous thieves.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 84 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo’s parents were named Hibukuro and Ōjiya. Hibukuro commanded a large force of men and women who stole from the wealthy. Though lordless, Hibukuro managed to attack and occupy a town. He had a ready supply of horses and the ability to ship goods in and out of the town.
But one day, Hibukuro and the bandit town were betrayed.
One of Hibukuro’s followers, Itachi, was responsible. Dissatisfied with his lot, he planned a coup d’etat and assumed Hibukuro’s place.
Hibukuro died in the midst of battle, stuck so full of arrows that he could no longer run or fight. He bought enough time for his wife and Dororo to escape, but neither Ōjiya nor Dororo had any supplies, and they were soon at risk of starving to death.
In these times of great strife and struggle between the samurai class and the noble clans, it was always the farmers and common folk that suffered the most. Food was stolen or appropriated by armies. Consequently, farmers starved, and the fields the following year had fewer workers to tend to them. Famine was widespread.
Dororo and Ōjiya weren’t farmers or samurai or nobles. After losing their home, there was nothing they could do except beg. They stayed on the road, traveling from east to west, eating whatever the kindness of strangers allowed them.
When Dororo was four years old, his mother died. It was one of his earliest memories. His mother died during the winter--a winter so long that the people suffering through it no longer hoped for spring. There was a terrible blizzard; Dororo and Ōjiya were caught in it, lost and with nowhere to go.
The autumn had been a particularly difficult one, as well. Whenever Dororo and Ōjiya managed to get their hands on food, Ōjiya would give it all to her child. Ōjiya was wasted and thin and couldn’t keep her footing on the slippery ground. She fell into the snow over and over again.
On the night of the blizzard, Ōjiya fell and didn’t have the strength to rise. The snow covered her too-thin body like a shroud.
Dororo was so little. There was nothing that he could do to help her. He called for help, but no one came. He tried to dig his mother out, but the snow fell too thick. Finally, he gave up, curling into a ball next to his mother. He fell into a fitful doze.
Perhaps Dororo would have frozen to death, but his mother was still warm. He huddled in close and hugged her. Dororo was never sure if that long night was a dream or a real experience.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 85 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo told this tragic tale to the woman who’d taken him into her home.
“You poor dear,” the woman said. “You’ve suffered so much for one so young.” She was crying a little. When she moved to wipe away her tears, the wind picked up, blowing in from the north. Dororo, who was sitting near the window, shivered.
The wind brought a strange echoing sound with it, like a voice crying out. “Oh! Oh!”
“Uh, what is that?” Dororo asked.
The wind kept blowing in through the window, colder than rain and hail. “Oh! Oh!”
All around them, the wind blew louder and louder. Dororo thought the sky itself was shaking from the force of the wind. As the strange voice drew nearer, Dororo sensed mirth in it.
The voice was laughing? Was it a demon or something?
Dororo shivered. Though brave, he was sensible enough to be afraid of demons. He wished Hyakkimaru were nearby. Maybe he was! If Dororo found him and told him where to find a demon, Hyakkimaru was sure to praise him.
As the roof above them creaked from the force of the wind, Dororo said, “We should get out of here, miss. Is that wind a demon?”
The woman looked surprised. “I... no, it’s not a demon. Behind the house, there’s a waterfall and a shrine that’s sacred to Fudō. There’s a statue of Fudō cut into the cliffs near the waterfall.”
Fudō was a Buddha, but he didn’t have the kind face or happy expression of, say, Amida Buddha. His eyes burned with anger. In his right hand, he carried a sword; in his left hand, he held rope twisted into a noose.
“You must be tired,” the woman said. “Fudō will watch over us here. I’ll make us some dinner. Perhaps you should get some rest?”
Dororo had told this woman of his tragic past, and she’d offered to feed and shelter him. Dororo thought that he’d just made an amazing new friend. The fact that the woman looked so much like his mother put Dororo at ease.
“I’ll stay up for a little while,” Dororo said. “It isn’t time to sleep yet.”
Dororo didn’t feel like he was tired, but when the woman encouraged him to lie down, he started yawning right away, and was soon fast asleep and snoring.
“Forgive me, child,” the woman said.
The north wind blew in through the window again. “Oh! Oh!”
The woman trembled all over. “I understand, my lord. I’ll bring the child to you at once,” she said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 86 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>As Hyakkimaru came out of Mio's Temple that evening, he heard Semimaru playing a lute song. The children sang along with cheerful voices. Semimaru was teaching them the song.
Hearing the children sing lifted Hyakkimaru's spirits. He hoped that the music would give them the courage to keep on living.
Jukai stood in the valley below the road, very close to the river. Hyakkimaru walked down into the valley and stood next to Jukai, who was staring at the surface of the water. The river was much deeper than Hyakkimaru remembered it being the last time he was here. Kingfishers darted up and and down the riverbank, appearing near the surface before disappearing deeper under the water.
Jukai and Hyakkimaru hadn't been alone as parent and child for a long time.
"Hyakkimaru," Jukai said. "I think I overestimated myself."
Hyakkimaru didn't understand.
"When I taught you to nurture the potential for psychokinesis within yourself, another power was nurtured, too. Negative energy. Hatred. I overestimated your ability to protect yourself. The demons pounced on you when your power was still immature and have made you suffer. I'm sorry."
Hyakkimaru didn't know what to say. Jukai was disparaging himself, though there was no need to.
"I don't think there's anything more that I can do for you," Jukai said. "I wish I could."
Jukai's words pierced Hyakkimaru's heart. Jukai had done so much for him. He shouldn't feel inadequate at all.
"I intend to stay at this temple for a while. It's close to Mount Monju, and you can send word or return here whenever your limbs need repair."
The song that Semimaru and the children were singing echoed faintly in the valley.
"It is a strange thing, being human," Jukai said. "The heart is soft in compassion, but strong in defense of others. Despite all my years, I still don't understand it."
"Neither do I." Hyakkimaru thought for a moment. "Dad, do you think that monk is right? He just showed up unexpectedly. I'm not sure if I should trust his advice. I don't know how he can see through people the way he does."
"I believe that he is one of those rare people who was born with psychokinesis," Jukai said.
Hyakkimaru gaped at Jukai in shock. Hyakkimaru had been born with the potential for psychokinesis, but that potential had to be nurtured by Jukai. Otherwise, he would never have been able to use it.
Jukai thought that Semimaru had been born blind, but with the ability to see into the truth of people's hearts. It was possible that the loss of his eyesight was linked to his strange abilities somehow. Jukai had never met anyone with an inborn talent for using psychokinesis before. He wanted to do research. This was a rare opportunity to understand something entirely new. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 30 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
A mist covered Mio's at dawn the next day. Hyakkimaru and Semimaru looked to the north, toward Mount Monju. They chanted prayers off of homa sticks, then prepared the sticks for burning.
"On abira un kashal," Semimaru chanted.
"On abira un kashal," Hyakkimaru repeated.
Semimaru taught Hyakkimaru the meaning of the chant as they prayed. "The ascetic practices you learned with Lord Jukai are now done and over," Semimaru said. "They can help you no further. From now on, you must devote yourself to uncovering the secrets of the body, the secrets contained in speech, and the secrets of thought."
There were many new prayers and practices for Hyakkimaru to learn, but both he and Semimaru emphasized learning Manjushri's mantra first and foremost.
"If you chant Manjushri's mantra while showing sincere reverence, he will banish any evil energies near you, be they spirits or demons," Semimaru said. "Eventually, if you keep up with your training, the spiritual energy that you radiate will prevent evil spirits from entering your immediate environment. Evil spirits put down roots in places of deep hatred or resentment, but the mantra can drive them away. The purpose of the training is to strengthen your mind and make it easier to focus on Manjushri while chanting the mantra."
Hyakkimaru lacked the patience to take in all of this new information at once. He was used to trying out new methods to advance his own development, but he had no way of knowing how—or even if—these new practices would help him. He knew that Semimaru was able to see to the truth of a person's soul. He could likely learn to see demons the same way. That would be a valuable skill, but it would almost certainly take time to acquire, and Hyakkimaru had delayed his quest for a long time already.
"You were able to see my true body and my true nature when we met," Hyakkimaru said. "Will I be able to do that if I follow all these practices?"
"I don't know for sure," Semimaru said. "I know that you must leave soon. It is best to focus on learning the mantra and praying to Manjushri for now." Semimaru laughed.
Semimaru's power was innate and had always been with him. He had never taught it to anyone else and wasn't certain that other people could acquire it. By contrast, Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic powers were not inborn, but learned and strengthened over the course of many years. He could move reflexively now, almost without thinking about it, but one encounter against a demon with power stronger than his own had left him significantly weakened.
Hyakkimaru decided to go north to Mount Monju as soon as possible. Dororo and Jukai would stay at the temple to take care of the orphaned children. Hyakkimaru wouldn't worry about the children's safety with Jukai taking care of them.
Jukai was reluctant to let Hyakkimaru go alone. If he got stranded in the north or attacked by the demons, there would be no easy way to send for help.
When Semimaru left the ruined temple, he gave Hyakkimaru a protective charm that he'd made himself. A Sanskrit mantra was written on it.
"The demons are extremely powerful," Semimaru said. "But there are ways to disrupt or block that power. Be very careful when you travel, especially when you make camp. Always look for consecrated ground."
Hyakkimaru nodded. "I promise I'll be careful."
Dororo looked at Hyakkimaru with a sour expression. "You'd better. You won't be able to call me for help."
Hyakkimaru laughed a little. "You have something very important to do here," he said. "Without you, the children would be terribly lonely."
"I know, I know," Dororo muttered. He scratched his head.
"We'll rebuild the temple," Jukai said. "We'll repair the damage and make it larger so that we can all live here more comfortably."
Hyakkimaru bowed his head to Jukai in sincere thanks. He smiled. "How many times have we said goodbye? I'm sure this won't be the last time."
Jukai nodded. "What about you, Semimaru? Where are you headed now?"
"Hm," Semimaru said. "I'll go north to Kaga, and from there, far to the east to Mutsu Province. There are many famous mountains and temples along my route. I'm looking forward to visiting those places for the first time." He snorted through his nose, then scratched his bald head.
Jukai grinned. "Before you go, I have a request."
"From me?" Semimaru asked.
Jukai nodded. "If you encounter anyone else with psychokinesis on your travels, I'd love to hear about them."
"I would have returned here to tell you about them even if you hadn't asked. Your curiosity is predictable in that way, Lord Jukai. I may not encounter any. If geniuses born with mature psychokinetic powers were born under every hedgerow, your profession would be in trouble. But I promise that if I do encounter another person like myself, I'll come back to tell you about them first thing."
"Thank you," Jukai said.
Jukai had no idea how many people with psychokinetic potential existed, but if anyone could find at least one other, it would be Semimaru. Despite Semimaru's tongue-in-cheek comment about his profession, Jukai's desire to know more about psychokinetic people was connected to his desire to advance medical knowledge. Understanding psychokinesis could open the door to new treatments and better quality of life for people who had lost limbs.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 31 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A few days later, Hyakkimaru was traveling along a river at dusk. Mount Monju loomed large overhead. He continued on his way until the sun set, then looked for a place to camp.
On the side of the road, he saw the lights of a shrine. Semimaru had told him that there were several shrines along the way to Mount Monju that would offer him shelter on consecrated ground.
What does Hyakkimaru do?
<center><<button[[Continue traveling toward Mount Monju.->Kind Path 35 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Stay the night in the shrine.->Kind Path 32 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>Hyakkimaru passed through a village in Niū District. He crossed over to Sabae via boat and kept traveling until he reached the village. It was sunset, so Hyakkimaru stopped to rest.
Clouds obscured the moon. Thunder rumbled in the far distance.
"On abira un kashal..."
Hearing Manjushri's mantra, Hyakkimaru stopped still and looked around. <i>It sounds like Semimaru, the old monk...</i>
Semimaru walked up the path behind him. When he realized Hyakkimaru was there, he stopped chanting and smiled. "You might not believe me," he said, scratching his head, "but I've been following you for quite some time."
Hyakkimaru frowned. "Since when? Did you start when I left the the ruined temple?"
Semimaru faced the north and stared up at the sky with unseeing eyes. The clouds parted, revealing the glimmering stars. He stood as still as a statue with his smile still on his lips. "Aren't the stars beautiful?"
Hyakkimaru didn't know what to say. He didn't understand how Semimaru could see at all, but he wasn't really surprised at Semimaru's question. Semimaru could see into people's hearts. Seeing the physical world was much less impressive in comparison.
"Can you see the North Star?"
Hyakkimaru looked up at the sky and nodded. "Yes, I see it."
"The North Star rules the heavens and governs all of nature. Look at the seven stars that make up the Big Dipper. Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid—all seven, see? They follow the movements of the North Star, Polaris, which determines the fortunes—and misfortunes—of mankind."
Semimaru explained his belief that fate was written in the stars for anyone who knew how to look.
"Maybe if I had eyes like yours, I'd be able to see the weaknesses of the demons I meet," Hyakkimaru said. "Is it just my bad luck that I don't have eyes like that? What do the stars say?"
"I don't know," Semimaru said. "I simply feel that our fates are written there. It's difficult to relate to others."
"Demons don't attack you, do they?" Hyakkimaru asked. "It must be because you can see things that other people can't see. Maybe they're afraid of you."
"I don't think so," Semimaru said. "Just because I can see a demon's true nature doesn't make me a threat. And demons and vengeful spirits don't need any particular reason to attack, and I have no particular reason to hate them. I suspect that they merely leave me alone."
Semimaru was probably right. The demons had never attacked Dororo directly, only Hyakkimaru and Jukai.
"The demons hate you because your psychokinesis threatens them," Semimaru said.
Hyakkimaru wasn't sure what to say. Semimaru seemed to have that effect on him.
"To exorcise the demons—root them out, tree and branch—you need a plan," Semimaru said.
"What kind of plan?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"You must embrace the spiritual energy inside yourself and become a demon."
"Become... a demon?"
"Demons are concentrated spiritual energy," Semimaru said. "This energy isn't capable of acting on its own, so it assumes a shape—any shape: a tool, an animal, something in nature. Every animated spirit has a core that is integral to what it is. That core is the spirit's essential nature.
"Malevolent demons form when the spiritual energy and the shape it takes are incompatible. The demons that hunt you are a primal source of evil that corrupted many ambivalent or kind spirits into demons.
"You possess spiritual energy that expresses itself through psychokinesis. Your spiritual energy also has a core. Weaponize it. Use it to destroy the demons, as they have attempted to destroy you."
Semimaru looked up at the night sky once again. "Hyakkimaru, draw your sword."
Hyakkimaru nodded, then unsheathed the demon-killing sword.
"Pierce each of the seven stars around the North Star with the tip of the sword," Semimaru said. "This will allow the sword to absorb part of their cosmic energy."
Hyakkimaru did as he was told. Nothing happened at first, but as Hyakkimaru pointed the sword at each star, the sword's blade shone brighter.
"Not quite right," Semimaru said. "You must not hesitate. Plant your feet and stab them as hard as you can, until the force is so great that your legs sink into the ground below you."
"Huh?" Hyakkimaru asked. What Semimaru was asking him to do seemed impossible.
"If you can do this, you will unlock the secrets of the stars," Semimaru said.
<center><<button[[Try.->Kind Path 36 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Give up.->Kind Path 37 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Tsurugi Shrine was the name of the small temple complex on the side of the road. Hyakkimaru received instructions to the main temple from a monk, then climbed up a steep hill to reach it.
On his way to the temple, Hyakkimaru encountered a solitary gravestone. When he asked about the grave, he learned that it belonged to another lute-playing blind monk like Semimaru. His name was Hōichi. According to the villagers, Hōichi had been born noble, but he was cast out due to his blindness. He had lived with his sickly younger sister near the Ōsaka Gate. The villagers didn't know where he'd come from before that.
Hōichi had left many songs and poems that he'd composed behind. During his life, he'd traveled the length and breadth of the province as a singer and entertainer. Hyakkimaru asked to hear some of these songs and realized that Hōichi had been deeply saddened by his experiences. Hyakkimaru sympathized with him, especially after he read accounts of Hōichi's abandonment. Hōichi had been cast out by his parents for a physical defect, just like Hyakkimaru.
<i>I wonder if Hōichi hated his parents.</i>
Hatred was a completely normal and justified emotion, given Hōichi's circumstances, but Hyakkimaru discovered no trace of resentment or anger in his writings. He had devoted himself to his instrument. Many of his songs were popular even outside of the province. He'd used music to provide comfort and solace to others.
Feeling a deep sense of isolation, Hyakkimaru returned to Hōichi's grave to pray. He envied Hōichi's detachment.
<i>Hōichi didn't have a grudge against his parents, so he never tried to track them down. Hōichi left everything to karmic fate, but I've decided to take matters into my own hands. I wish that what I learned from that fox demon was a lie. I hope they were lying so that I don't have to hate my parents.</i>
Hyakkimaru prayed with his hands pressed tightly together and his head down. Even if his half-formed wish was correct, why would the fox demon lie to him? What purpose would that serve?
It was possible that Daigo Kagemitsu wasn't his birth father—unlikely, but possible. If Hyakkimaru accepted that Daigo Kagemitsu was his father, he couldn't conceive of a reason why he would ever abandon his child to die. More than any hatred or resentment, that was what motivated Hyakkimaru to search for his parents: he wanted the answer to that question more than anything.
Why?
Why was he condemned to this living hell? Why did his parents get rid of him when he was obviously still alive? Had they wanted him to suffer? To die?
Hyakkimaru left Hōichi's grave and headed west to Tsurugi Shrine. The shrine was an ancient one of great importance in the region. Hyakkimaru met with the senior priest of the shrine and asked him to perform an exorcism on his demon-killing sword. He wanted to see if the priest's blessing could dispel the demon's influence over the sword.
"I'm a warrior-in-training. I would like to remain here for a short while to purify this sword. Would this be permissible?"
The senior priest nodded. "You may stay among the shrine's disciples and train with them, if you would like," he said kindly.
Training with the sword probably wouldn't help him much with his psychokinesis, but learning and living with new people might provide other benefits. And he still needed to discipline his emotions better. No matter how good a swordsman he was, the demons would always defeat him if he lost control of himself.
Semimaru had said that his psychokinetic powers might be restored. Jukai was the one who had sparked his potential to develop those powers. If the demons or evil spirits were able to block them or prevent them from using them permanently, then he was in trouble no matter how much he prayed or who he prayed to.
At least the temple was on consecrated ground, so no demons could attack him here. He passed the night in the same room with the shrine's disciples, then made a proper shrine visit before dawn the next morning.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 33 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio meditation play>>Vegetation grew wild around the shrine. Because it was sacred to Amaterasu's brother Susanō, there were relics related to the legend of Amaterasu and the terrible serpent monster Yamata no Orochi.
Amaterasu, the sun goddess, hid herself in a cave after Susanō angered her. The other gods conceived a plan to lure her out so that the sun would rise again. They laughed and claimed that another god had come to bring light in Amaterasu's absence. Amaterasu slid the boulder blocking the cave's entrance and peeked out, at which point the gods brought out a mirror and held it before her. As Amaterasu approached the mirror, the gods took her hand and pulled her out of the cave, which was then immediately sealed with a straw rope, preventing her from going back inside. Thus was light restored to the world.
As punishment for his unruly conduct, Susanō was driven out of the heavenly realm by the other gods. Going down to earth, he killed the monstrous serpent Yamata no Orochi. From the serpent's carcass, Susanō found the sword Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven, which he presented to Amaterasu as a reconciliation gift.
Although Susanō had angered his sister first, Hyakkimaru found himself sympathizing with the god, who had also been cast out from his family.
<i>Was Yamata no Orochi a demon, I wonder? He had eight heads!</i>
The legend said that Susanō had defeated the monster by getting it roundly drunk, then chopping off its heads one by one. The sword that Susanō had retrieved from the corpse, Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, was supposed to be able to kill demons.
<i>I wonder how my demon-killing sword came by the same power...</i>
Hyakkimaru wanted to be powerful enough to kill something as huge and terrifying as Yamata no Orochi.
There was a clear, cool stream behind the shrine that flowed into a shady wooded area. Hyakkimaru stripped down and took a bath. It was only just past dawn, so the water was very cold. He closed his eyes and prayed as he washed himself. His head felt wonderfully clear and blank, like all of his concerns and worries had been stripped away along with his clothes.
After he left the stream and got dressed, Hyakkimaru climbed to the top of a hill near the shrine and unsheathed his demon-killing sword. The eastern sky was brightening with morning sunshine. The temple bell rung behind him, loud. Hyakkimaru didn't know this, but the bell was used to warn people in the area of fire. It was very old, having been cast in 770.
As Hyakkimaru listened to the tolling bell, he gripped the hilt of his sword harder and prayed for it to truly be purified.
<center>Add 30 points to Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis.</center>
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power+30>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 35 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio garden_of_ajisai play>>Mount Monju had a rounded top and was shaped like a temple bell. Even at this distance, it radiated a kind of holy stillness that Hyakkimaru associated with old shrines and temples. A deep green forest clung to the mountain's sides and reached almost all the way to the summit. The morning sun illuminated the leaves of the trees, bathing the mountain in soft light.
Semimaru faced Mount Monju and chanted, "On abira un kashal. I believe we'll meet again while the mountain is still green." He stood up straight and settled his lute on his back. One of the strings sounded out a deep note. He put himself on a path to Kaga Province, singing and entertaining as he went.
Hyakkimaru listened to Semimaru's song as he walked away. "The wind blows to the east, and it rains in the west. If the fickle wind carries my scent..."
He hadn't heard Semimaru sing in a long time. He waved at Semimaru to see him off.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 39 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
The Ryōgon Temple Complex was at the foot of Mount Monju on the eastern side of the mountain. The temple owned and developed a lot of land; Hyakkimaru saw several temples lined up on the side of the path he took through a wide gate. In ancient times, there were seventeen residences for the monks built inside the temple complex, but when Hyakkimaru visited there were more than a hundred and twenty.
Hyakkimaru prepared for his trek up the mountain with a sense of excitement. He found the chief priest of the temple, Tokuyūbō, and told him of his intent.
"You came all this way in these troubled times to climb to the top of the mountain and worship Manjushri? Such devotion is surprising in one so young," Tokuyūbō said.
"Doesn't anyone else climb the mountain for prayer?" Hyakkimaru asked. There was a specific type of religious practice called shugendō that fused Shinto mountain worship and Buddhism. The final purpose of shugendō was for practitioners to find supernatural power and save themselves and others by conducting religious training while climbing mountains.
Tokuyūbō sighed. "No one does shugendō anymore, sadly. The temple has been attacked many times over the years, and with the recent wars not many people come here. No one knows if today will be their last day on this earth. And what about you, young man? Have you prepared yourself for whatever might befall?"
"Yes."
Tokuyūbō stared at Hyakkimaru for a moment that stretched. He smiled a little, then nodded. "There is a hermitage retreat at the top of the mountain that is the soul of this temple complex. It is a long way, but I shall lead you there if you wish. It may be that you will encounter the divine being Manjushri himself."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 40 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio stream play>>Hyakkimaru saw several mountain sheep during the climb. He startled quite a few rabbits passing through underbrush. Delicate white bamboo lilies grew wild. His guide, Tokuyūbō, was a learned man. He knew many poems and songs about the mountain and had even composed some himself.
After a long climb, Hyakkimaru and Tokuyūbō arrived at one of the lower peaks of Mount Monju. Several monks were scattered around the temple there, though most were gathered around a sacred spring behind it. Tokukyōbō prayed briefly over the spring, then scooped water into his hands and drank it.
"This is holy water. It has flowed out of the mountain for untold thousands of years. Drink it and gain understanding of Manjushri's wisdom."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 41 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>> "Is something wrong?" Tokuyūbō asked.
"No," Hyakkimaru said. The statue had its own face again. "I was—overwhelmed, for a moment. Forgive me."
To the north of the main temple, there was an enormous stone covered in a thick layer of verdant green moss. The stone was wrapped with prayer rope. Beyond the stone, the mountain sloped gently down. The wide plains at the foot of the mountain were faintly visible.
"The remains of a vase were found here," Tokuyūbō said. "It was from ancient times, when people climbed the mountain to gather sacred water. Ascetics and sincere believers have made pilgrimages to this place for over three thousand years."
Hyakkimaru bowed his head in prayer. He felt very safe here, enclosed and protected like a child in a womb.
In front of the temple's main hall, there was a rock garden full of stones of all shapes and sizes. "The stones are arranged and selected according to the cosmic dual forces, yin and yang, and the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth," Tokuyūbō said. He pointed to the east and said, "That there is Ichijōdani, the fortress town controlled by the Asakura Clan. I'm sure the Asakura lord will return soon, the war situation being what it is."
"The Asakura lord?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Tokuyūbō turned to face Hyakkimaru. "Do you know Lord Asakura?" he asked.
Hyakkimaru wasn't sure how he should answer. "Only by reputation," he said.
"He is an extremely cultured man, and very religious. He rules this province in Lord Shiba's absence."
Currently, the fighting in Kyōto was at a relative standstill. The wars and conflicts to the north of the capital continued on, however. Many feudal lords were absent from their places of power so that they and their armies could fight in the larger war.
"I really do wonder what Lord Asakura plans to do now," Tokuyūbō muttered.
Hyakkimaru's eyes fixed on Ichijōdani. It was a samurai fortress. He might be able to find out more about Daigo Kagemitsu there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 43 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru sat on a stump in a grove of trees. He’d been sitting there for a very long time. Since parting with Dororo, his limbs felt heavier, and eventually his tiredness compelled him to rest.
<i>If he was still following me, he’d probably still be after my sword,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. Dororo was single-minded, moreso than anyone else he’d ever met.
“Hehe.”
Hyakkimaru stood up and turned sharply around, expecting to see Dororo, but there was only a cold wind blowing from the north. That wind carried the sound of a giggling voice to him, along with the roar of another voice underneath it.
Hyakkimaru scented a demon on the wind. His whole demeanor changed in an instant. <i>Laugh again, why don’t you?</i> Hyakkimaru thought mockingly. The laughter would only help Hyakkimaru track the demon more effectively.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 87 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The woman caught Dororo in her arms and held him still. Fudō let loose an angry howling of wind.
“What are you doing?!” Dororo asked.
“I must obey my master," the woman said.
“Give me that child's face!” Fudō commanded the woman. His voice was as hoary as an old and withered tree.
“No!” Hyakkimaru called out from above.
The waterfall answered him, gushing forth and splashing everywhere. Slowly, the water formed a vast shape with horns and gnashing teeth. The mouth of the water-formed demon opened, preparing to swallow Dororo and Hyakkimaru whole.
The woman gasped, falling to her knees when the water demon passed over her. When Dororo looked to see if she was all right, he saw that her face no longer resembled his mother’s. Had Dororo only perceived this woman as his mother because of the demon’s influence?
Dororo ran recklessly toward Hyakkimaru and the crashing water, but he slipped and fell. Before he could reach Hyakkimaru, a stick as sharp as any spear that Dororo had seen shot forth from the waterfall and pierced Hyakkimaru clean through.
He grunted, then extended a hand.
Dororo felt himself being lifted bodily out of the cavern by psychokinesis. Hyakkimaru followed him, running on air as they tried to get out of the demon's range.
"You're hurt," Dororo said.
"So are you," Hyakkimaru said. "Let's get back to the temple."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 100 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The demon did keep laughing as Hyakkimaru tracked it. Once, it stopped, only to resume with much more force and volume.
The demon wasn’t alone. The woman who had lured Dororo into a trap was there, and Dororo was alert enough to struggle against her.
“What are you doing? Let me go! Hey!” Dororo cried out. He was suspended in the air, inside a net. He reached out to the woman with both arms, but she shoved him harshly away with great force. This was likely the demon’s doing, since the woman hadn’t harmed Dororo directly before.
“Help me! Help!” Dororo yelled. There was a flowing waterfall surrounding him, the waters moving intensely around him and flooding his body with icy cold. The woman stepped away from him, and the water from the waterfall became stronger, intensifying every second.
Shivering in his net, Dororo recognized where he was. The woman had explained to him that this place was protected by Fudō. As the spray soaked Dororo, he looked down and saw that the waterfall fell twenty meters at least. If his net broke and spilled him out of it, it would be a very long way down.
The statue of Fudō was clearly visible despite the waterfall, perhaps because Dororo was practically inside it and could see through the rest of the water easily.
The woman took another step away from Dororo, and Dororo faced Fudō squarely. Unlike all other Buddha that Dororo had seen before, this one had no face at all!
Fudō had no eyes or nose or mouth. The stone’s surface was bare and smooth where the face should be.
“A demon!” Dororo exclaimed. The waterfall echoed his voice back at him and magnified it several times.
“I want... a face...”
“Huh?” Dororo asked. He couldn’t tell who had spoken, but it hadn’t been the woman or himself.
“Give me... your face...”
Dororo frowned at the demon Fudō statue. The flow of the waterfall increased in speed and strength again, and then Dororo saw something human-shaped land at Fudō’s feet with a splash.
This body, which had bounced off rocks three times within ten meters, was a mass of blood and mud when it reached Fudō. Dororo peered at the corpse in dread and saw that it, too, had no face at all.
“I have done as you asked, oh great Fudō,” the woman said, bowing deeply. “Another lies near the waterfall, in the usual place. I hope they please you.”
The woman jumped down, nudging the dead body in front of the statue over a ledge and into the deep waters below. Then she looked up, turning toward Dororo. “You see, Dororo--we have no choice. The holy and sacred Fudō desires a face, so you must give him yours.”
“There’s nothing holy or sacred about that thing!” Dororo shrieked. “It’s a demon! No matter how many faces you give it, it’s always going to want more of them!” As he struggled, he kicked himself internally for falling for the woman’s scheme. “I can’t believe I thought you looked like my mom! I’m an idiot! And you’re evil!”
“Please don’t say such things,” the woman said. She was trembling. “I understand. I suffer as you do. But I must do as Fudō says. I have no choice.” She cast her eyes down.
Dororo looked sidelong at the woman and felt a stab of pity despite himself. <i>Mom,</i> he thought.
“I want... a face...” Fudō said again, his voice echoing from ten meters below. The water rushed by Dororo, falling into the gorge. Dororo remembered that the waterfall had changed its intensity several times, and considered the idea that Fudō might have power over it.
“Mom?” Dororo asked softly.
“Eh?” the woman asked.
“What would happen if you let me go?”
“What?”
“Would Fudō kill you?” Dororo asked.
The woman nodded. Her face was haunted, like she knew that she’d be condemned to hell for what she was doing. “I would have died long ago, without Fudō’s help. He saved me—brought me back from death. If I don’t help him, he’ll take away all the help he’s given me.”
Dororo gasped. This woman was already dead! “I understand,” he said, more than a little in desperation. “I’ll face the demon. I won’t fight.”
The woman tilted her head. This sudden change in Dororo’s demeanor surprised her.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Battle with Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 4.</i>
“I don’t want you to die because of me,” Dororo said. “That would just be tragic. You really do look like my mom. It would be too much like condemning my own mother to die. I can’t do it.”
The woman was speechless.
“Hehehe,” Dororo said. “But…well, I’d like to ask you to let me out of this net, first. I’m the world’s greatest thief, and I want to fight this demon on equal terms, if I can.”
“Don’t,” Fudō said. “If you let him out of the net, he will run. I know what he’s thinking.”
“I won’t!” Dororo said. “I promise I won’t!”
The roar of the waterfall around them became louder in protest.
Dororo made sure he was looking straight at the demon when he said, “Now look here! I won’t let you disparage me! You don’t know what’s going on in my head!”
Fudō remained silent.
“Or do you?” Dororo asked. “Is that it? Everyone wants something special for themselves, and demons are no exception. You claim to take faces, but what you’re actually taking is their lives—their hearts and minds!”
Suddenly, Dororo felt an oppressive weight on his chest, and his arms felt too heavy to move.
<i>Dororo does battle with Fudō. Dororo is fighting alone, so the battle calculation is as follows:
(Dororo's Attack Power + Dororo's Defensive Power) x Dororo's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Fudō - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Fudō - Use 4]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Kind Path 89 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Kind Path 88 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>“Dororo,” the woman hissed, “you have to get out of here!” She loosened the net so that Dororo could win free.
“What?”
The woman caught Dororo in her arms for a moment, then let go. “Run!”
Fudō let loose an angry howling of wind.
“What are you doing?!” Dororo asked.
“I can’t bear to watch you die! Please, go!” she cried out breathlessly. “Before I died, I had a child just like you.”
“Stop,” Fudō commanded the woman. His voice was as hoary as an old and withered tree. “Give me that child’s face!”
“No!” the woman cried out.
The waterfall answered her, gushing forth and splashing everywhere. Slowly, the water formed a vast shape with horns and gnashing teeth. The mouth of the water-formed demon opened, preparing to swallow Dororo and the woman whole.
“Ah!” The woman gasped, then used what little strength she possessed to throw Dororo toward the rocks, away from the waterfall and out of reach of the demon.
Dororo landed with a thump. “Ow!” He was free of the net, which meant he had his freedom of movement back. He dashed back to the woman, crying out, “Mom!”
The woman gasped again, falling to her knees when the water demon passed over her. When Dororo looked to see if she was all right, he saw that her face no longer resembled his mother’s. Had Dororo only perceived this woman as his mother because of the demon’s influence? Perhaps it didn’t matter who she was, only what she’d done. In saving Dororo, the woman had done exactly what his real mother would have.
“Mom, hang on, I’m coming!” Dororo ran recklessly toward the crashing water, but he slipped and fell. Before he could reach the woman, a stick as sharp as any spear that Dororo had seen shot forth from the waterfall and pierced the woman through the heart.
The woman’s final words were, “My… child…” Dororo was too far away to hear them. He heard nothing but the terrible splashing and frothing of the water all around. He felt like he’d been speared through the heart, himself, and didn’t rise from his knees for what felt like a long time.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Battle with Hyakumen Fudou - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Fight]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 6.</i>
“No! No! Damn you, demon!”
Dororo spun, glaring up at Fudō in rage. He burned with anger, little resembling the child he was. He looked positively destructive, like he was ready to take on the world and win.
“I’ll kill you! No one hurts my mom and gets away with it!”
Dororo was incensed, but he didn’t know how to use his savage energy. He bent to retrieve some small stones that had been eroded smooth by the waterfall and hurled them at Fudō.
Nothing happened. The rocks bounced off the statue harmlessly, making plunking, echoey noises. Then a crack appeared where Dororo had thrown his stones, splitting the rock at Fudō’s feet into smaller pieces.
“Ha! That’s what you get for being evil!” Dororo crowed triumphantly. He’d lost his chance to run, so now he had no choice but to fight. He threw stones left and right with all his strength. “Don’t come near me, or you’ll regret it!”
The stones around Fudō kept crumbling to sand. Dororo was stunned, but not unpleasantly so.
“Oi!” Someone called out from above.
Hyakkimaru stood on the cliff above the waterfall, looking down at Dororo and the demon. Slowly, Fudō’s face took shape: his eyes, nose, and mouth. It was a cruel face, and all of Fudō’s attention focused on Hyakkimaru.
“Oh, uh, aniki!” Dororo waved. “I was waiting for you. What took you so long?”
Hyakkimaru jumped down from the cliff, shouting as he went, “It’s dangerous here, Dororo! Be careful!”
Hyakkimaru’s reappearance made Dororo feel a hundred times braver. He tried to distract Fudō while Hyakkimaru got into position to defeat the demon. Fudō reached out to grab Dororo, and Dororo climbed up the cliff, trying to put more distance between himself and the demon.
Of course the demon wasn’t about to let Dororo get away… but how could he keep Dororo from fleeing now?
Hyakkimaru attacked swiftly and with great strength, leaping at the demon in anger.
<i>Hyakkimaru and Dororo do battle with Fudō. The battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Attack Power + (Hyakkimaru and Dororo's combined Defensive Power) x combined Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Combined Battle with Fudō - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Combined Battle with Fudō - Use 6]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Kind Path 90 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Kind 120]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>A cluster of leaves landed in front of Fudō. That was strange because there was no wind above the cliffs. Still, something was making those leaves move; in a matter of moments, Hyakkimaru’s eyes, nose and mouth were stopped up by leaves.
Hyakkimaru grunted and stepped back. He couldn’t see with his eyes covered, and with his mouth stopped up, he couldn’t breathe at all.
Staggering, trying to swallow, Hyakkimaru kept thinking about how to fix this. Fudō circled around him like a spinning top, waiting to pounce.
<i>It hurts,</i> Hyakkimaru thought.
“I want a face!” Fudō insisted. The demon’s voice was suffused with triumph. Fudō believed that he’d already won.
“I want a face!”
Hyakkimaru’s own face was more than half-hidden, and he could only just make out where Fudō was. He struck out with his swords, attempting an attack, but he was still too far away.
“Hm?”
Suddenly, his demon-killing sword flashed. It moved over his face with precision, shredding the leaves that were covering his eyes, nose and mouth. He managed not to cut himself at all—only the leaves that Fudō had used to suffocate him. They fell to the ground like so much chaff.
“What’s this?” Fudō asked. Hyakkimaru had the demon’s full attention. Fudō’s voice shook with outrage. The net that he carried in his left hand shifted slightly as he changed his grip. The net was no longer just an ordinary net—it was made of snakes!
Hyakkimaru had no trouble with snakes, though. As they coiled and sprang at him, he hacked left and right, chopping them to bits. Fudō raised the sword in his right hand while Hyakkimaru was distracted…
Ding! There was a high-pitched sound of metal striking against stone. Sparks flew into Hyakkimaru’s eye, making him flinch and lose his footing briefly. “Ah!”
Fudō had raised his sword above Hyakkimaru’s head, prepared to strike him down. Hyakkimaru dodged to the side when the sword swept down. The sword landed right where he would have been if he hadn’t moved.
Dororo was terrified of the sword, but he wasn’t about to let Hyakkimaru do all the fighting alone. He threw rocks at Fudō, running along the cliff above the waterfall as he aimed. “Hehehe! How’re you gonna get out of this one, Mr. Demon? There’s no escape!” He was in high spirits, attacking Fudō along with Hyakkimaru.
At long length, Fudō let out a low cry, and his head toppled off his stone shoulders.
“We did it!” Dororo said. He gave himself and Hyakkimaru a round of applause. “What the hell <i>was</i> Fudō, anyway?”
Hyakkimaru wanted to make sure that the demon was dead. He emptied the liquid out of one of his bombs, threw it at the statue, and set it on fire with psychokinesis.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 91 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>“Uh, aniki…” Dororo leaped higher onto the cliff right before the explosion hit. When he peered over the cliff face and down, he saw that Hyakkimaru appeared to be unhurt.
Or, mostly unhurt. “Ow…” Hyakkimaru frowned down at his left leg, then fell to the ground.
“Your leg!” Dororo said. “Aniki, your leg’s growing back this time! That’s gotta be it!”
Dororo was right: the leg where Hyakkimaru had once stored so many of his explosive weapons was growing back in bit by bit, dislodging the prosthetic.
Hyakkimaru gasped. “Gah! Everything hurts like hell, from head to toe.” It seemed to take a long time, but his leg finally grew in. Hyakkimaru grumbled about the pain the whole time.
“Hehehe… say, aniki?”
“Yeah?” He was testing his new leg by pressing his foot to the ground and lifting it again. He was higher than the moon, and barely heard Dororo’s question.
“Thanks. For coming to get me, I mean.”
“Huh?”
“You almost lost your little brother back there, y’know?” Dororo shrugged. “Now I know that I can rely on you in the future, aniki,” he said ingratiatingly.
“Don’t be an idiot.” Hyakkimaru rested his leg on the ground. “As if you didn't know that by now.” He took a few steps away from Dororo, walking along the cliff and to the river with careful steps. “Rocks hurt to step on. My head aches. The grass feels soft, though.”
Dororo chuckled. “Hehehe… well, while you’re off doing whatever you want, I guess I’ll have to follow you. For protection and stuff.” Now that the demon was dead, Dororo wasn’t afraid of anything, and his desire for Hyakkimaru’s sword arm returned. That desire was motivated by a bad sort of engine that used theft and selfishness for fuel.
Hyakkimaru kept walking along the river. Leaves fell to the ground from the trees above them, blowing in the wind. Dororo rushed to catch up with Hyakkimaru.
Dororo faced the river. “Bye, not-mom,” he said quietly.
Hyakkimaru was getting farther and farther away.
“Oi!” Dororo ran after Hyakkimaru. “You’ll kill me at this pace!”
The woman who had saved Dororo was dead again, as she’d been before. It was likely that she was now nothing except for a skeleton of bleached bones resting on the river bottom. Leaves fell in the river’s surface, creating ripples. In the distance, the mountains rose to the sky, their peaks capped with snow.
<<if $left_leg is false>><img src="Images/BodyPart3.png"><<audio win play>>
<center><i>You have recovered Hyakkimaru's Left Leg. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $left_leg to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 100 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle14 > "180">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle14 > "180">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle14 < "180">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle14< "180">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle14 > "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 89 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle14 < "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 88 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle18 > "180">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle18 > "180">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle18 < "180">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle18< "180">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle18 > "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 89 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle18 < "180">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 88 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>></center>Hyakkimaru lost his footing as he jumped, bowling Dororo over and falling into the waterfall.
Dororo managed to cling to a ledge--just. Hyakkimaru heard Dororo calling for him, but could not halt his fall.
It was a long, wet, cold way down.
He never found out if Dororo escaped, but he hoped Dororo did. He closed his eyes.
<<if $galatea_start is false>>When he opened them, he saw Mio's face, wreathed in sunlight. "Welcome home," she said.<</if>>
<<if $galatea_start is true>>He felt a familiar, gentle presence settle over him like a blanket. Manjushri was calling him home. He hoped Jukai wouldn't be too disappointed in him. He hoped Dororo would be all right, and Mio, and all the children.<</if>>
Hyakkimaru felt strangely at peace as he took his last breath and crossed into the world of spirits.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited21 is false>><<set $visited21 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle6 > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle6 > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle6 > "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 90 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle6 < "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind 120]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $battle > "500">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle > "500">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>>
<center><<if $battle > "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 90 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>><</if>><<if $battle < "500">><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind 120]]>><</button>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo and Hyakkimaru returned to Mio's Temple to treat their injuries and figure out what to do next. Since their most recent forays into the mountains had ended in near-disaster, this time, Jukai decided to go with them when they left the temple.
<<if $galatea_start is true>>This was only possible because of Mio's swift progress in mastering psychokinesis. She couldn't speak more than a word or two with her artificial throat and larynx, but she was back to moving around, albeit slowly. She could gather with the children and sense any danger nearby.
There was bit of extra good news.<</if>> One of Jukai's patients, an old friend named Sakuzō, had come to stay in the temple with supplies for over the winter. He would protect the children while Jukai, Hyakkimaru and Dororo were gone.
<<set galatea_progress=galatea_progress+1>><<set jukai_party to true>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 101 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>"This is where I leave you," Tokuyūbō said. "It's best for you to perform your worship practice alone. I hope that you return safely to the foot of the mountain, having been reborn."
Hyakkimaru bowed to him politely as he prepared to leave.
"You are free to use the supplies in the temple kitchen," Tokuyūbō said. "Rice, miso, and wild vegetables are all kept in storage."
"Thank you very much," Hyakkimaru said, bowing his head again. He faced the mountain summit, heading for the inner sanctum of the hermitage retreat.
The inner sanctum was to the west of the temple. Hyakkimaru saw two large overlapping boulders in his path as he came closer to it. There was a gap between the boulders, allowing him to pass.
Hyakkimaru saw light in front of him, scarcely twelve feet ahead. Passing through the boulders and into the light was analogous to passing through his mother's womb. If he reached the exit, he would be reborn.
"I really hope this works." He squinted at the light as he walked through the gap between the two boulders.
Hyakkimaru was halfway to the light when his body jerked and twisted to the side. There was no wind, so that couldn't be the cause. A force that Hyakkimaru couldn't see was trying to force him to go back.
Hyakkimaru was impatient to pass through the light, but fighting to go forward got him nowhere. He was pushed back to the two boulders again, inch by slow inch.
Standing where he started, Hyakkimaru glared at the light ahead, allowing all of his frustration to show on his face. <i>What's holding me back? A spirit? A demon?</i>
The distance between the boulders and the exit was only twelve feet. Hyakkimaru could sprint that distance in the time it took to draw in a breath. He steeled himself and ran at the exit, but the result was the same as before.
Hyakkimaru considered. An enormous hawk flew in circles above him. Most hawks were dark brown, but this one was pure white. It looked down on Hyakkimaru from on high, soaring in the sea breeze.
Hyakkimaru looked up at the hawk and smiled a little. "Maybe Manjushri only lets people in personally? Or maybe I have to do something specific..."
When he tried to pass through the light again, he failed. He retreated toward the temple. The wide plain below the temple was broader than the summit of Mount Monju and perfectly flat. The plain was surrounded by a thick forest on every side. A statue of Amida Buddha stood enshrined in the center of the plain.
Beyond the plain, the land sloped down into a tree-filled, rocky area. The hermitage that Tokuyūbō had told him about was there. It was small and old and in poor repair from being lashed by wind and rain for years beyond count. There was only one room inside.
But Hyakkimaru was not discouraged or dissatisfied. The roof was sound and would keep the rain off; that was all that he really needed. He looked out at the mountain through the latticed window of the hermitage, feeling completely cut off from the world. This wasn't the same as praying or training alone, like he'd done since he was a boy. Before, he was always able to go home to a warm welcome by Jukai. There was no home to return to here. He was completely, utterly alone.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 44 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio forest play>>The air on the peak of Mount Monju was crystal clear. The mountain was lush with green trees that white lilies sheltered under, filling the gloom with a sweet scent. When the flowers bloomed, the leaves withered. The sight saddened Hyakkimaru. He sat in meditation every day, rain or shine, from sunup to sundown. There were days when he focused only on sitting and not on becoming enlightened, out of necessity, but he kept his practice up consistently.
While he meditated, Hyakkimaru observed Mount Monju's animals and birds. Every living thing appeared serene, secure in the knowledge that Manjushri was watching over them. Some of the animals took a liking to Hyakkimaru. A herd of deer rushed up to him and started playing and frolicking while he meditated.
One day around sunset, a white hawk landed in a tree just outside the hermitage. Hyakkimaru had no doubt that it was the same hawk he'd seen when he'd tried to pass through the large stones on his first day here. He looked up at the hawk and smiled a little, like he was greeting an old friend.
"I envy you, Takumaru. It must be so much fun to fly." Takumaru was the name that he decided to give the bird.
Takumaru took flight, spinning in slow and lazy circles over Hyakkimaru's head. When he flew higher and higher in the western sky until he was almost invisible from the ground, Hyakkimaru frowned. Was there something to the west that he should be concerned about?
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 45 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru placed his demon-killing sword on top of a large stone in Takumaru's Clearing, then placed Takumaru's fallen feather on top of the blade.
"On abira un kashal..." Hyakkimaru chanted Manjushri's mantra over the sword. The seven stars of the North Star constellation were unusually bright.
Hyakkimaru picked up the sword and stabbed up at one of the seven stars as hard as he possibly could, letting out a loud, "Yah!" as he did so.
As before, the force of his strike sent him off-balance, and he fell. Still, Hyakkimaru felt like he was on the right track. All seven stars had flashed when he'd raised the sword over his head. He had seen their light reflected on the stone he'd placed the Muramasa sword on.
<<if $_solar_plexus_chakra is false>><img src="Images/BodyPart5.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Hyakkimaru's Manipura (Navel Chakra, #3) on Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $_solar_plexus_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><</if>>
<center><<if $skeptic is false>><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 48 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
<center><<if $skeptic is true>><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 47 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>><</if>></center>
The stars were so bright. They looked huge.
Hyakkimaru got up and tried again. And again. And again. His repeated exertions made him slower. It was difficult to expend so much energy in psychokinesis. After a brief rest, he managed to pierce all seven stars with the tip of the Muramasa sword, putting all of his strength behind each strike. He didn't lose his footing once.
When he was done, Hyakkimaru collapsed instead of falling.
"I did it," he gasped. "I really did it."
Hyakkimaru was exhausted, but there could be no doubt that his psychokinetic energy was restored. A feverish chill shook his limbs.
Add 30 points to Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis.
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power+30>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart6.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Hyakkimaru's Anahata (Heart Chakra, #4) on Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $heart_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 49 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
"Manjushri, protect me. On abira un kashal..." He set the sword down on a glimmering stone and prayed. He felt his body thrumming with psychokinetic energy again in mere moments and felt a desire to practice using the sword without touching it.
Hyakkimaru cut down large swaths of bamboo grass in the clearing and arranged them into a human-shaped dummy using string and more bamboo grass. When he was done making it, he hung the dummy from a large tree. The dummy glistened in the moonlight and swayed in a faint breeze.
Hyakkimaru gathered his psychokinetic energy, then sent the demon-killing sword flying at the dummy. If the sword obeyed him, then it wasn't impossible to think that he'd be able to use the sword to destroy demonic energy.
Hyakkimaru smiled self-deprecatingly. "My limbs will never be real, but that doesn't mean I can't move. I can do as much as anyone else can by using psychokinesis…and more. Maybe I really am like the demons. I use spiritual energy to move things…" He laughed, but the sound was cold and lonely in the surrounding stillness.
Takumaru's feather caught Hyakkimaru's eye. It shimmered faintly from the reflection of moonlight on the rock that it rested on. As he was putting the feather away, Takumaru flew in from above, landing on a stone.
"Ah! Takumaru…" Hyakkimaru had never seen him flying so late at night. Takumaru flapped his wings strongly and let out a shrill cry.
The bamboo dummy started to float on its own instead of simply hanging from the tree. Hyakkimaru stood scarcely four meters away from it. He removed Takumaru's feather from his breast pocket and threaded it though a small hole in the guard of the sword.
The bamboo dummy transformed into the shape of the demon fox that had attacked Hyakkimaru at Banmon. The demon laughed. "Do you really think the sword will destroy me this time, Hyakkimaru?"
Hyakkimaru sent the sword flying out of his hand toward the demon fox. The blade cut through the air with a whooshing sound and embedded itself in the demon fox's heart.
The fox screamed, but its cry was cut short. The dummy changed shape again, reverting back to its previous form. It hung limply from the tree, more than a little worse for wear.
The sword reversed direction smartly and returned to Hyakkimaru's hand.
Hyakkimaru was so overjoyed that he could hug the sword, though that was definitely a bad idea. He rested his cheek against the flat of the blade instead. Takumaru's feather remained threaded through the hole in the sword's guard.
<img src="Images/BodyPart7.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Vissudha (Purification Chakra, #5) from Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $throat_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 50 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>Sword training continued for several days after that. Hyakkimaru relied on Takumaru's feather less and less. Eventually, the sword did as he commanded, just as it had done before.
This was somewhat strange to him; all the demons he'd encountered lost their physical forms and could no longer channel spiritual energy after they were defeated, but he was only similar to demons: he wasn't actually one. The same was likely true of the sword. The only thing Hyakkimaru and the sword had in common with demons was the ability to channel spiritual energy—and spiritual energy could be restored in his case, with enough patience and effort.
There was only one guaranteed method to destroy demons for good: he had to cut off the demon from its core. For that reason, Hyakkimaru had to become a demon himself, or very like one. He needed to discover his own core if he was ever going to see those of demons. If he could draw on the power of his own core and use the demon-killing sword to express that power, he should be able to destroy demons.
The fact that Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis returned and that he'd regained control over the sword served as proof that Manjushri was protecting him. He wanted some kind of proof that he really would be able to kill demons now, but asking for a sign seemed presumptuous, even arrogant. Manjushri had helped him more than enough.
<i>I'm more powerful now than I was before. That's all I need. I don't care how many demons I have to fight. I lost my psychokinesis once, but now I know how to get it back. I'll fight every demon that gets in the way of my search for Daigo Kagemitsu.</i>
Hyakkimaru was ready to fight his enemies.
<img src="Images/BodyPart8.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Ajna (Third Eye Chakra, #6) from Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $third_eye_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 51 - Battle on Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.
</i>
Hyakkimaru sheathed his sword and meditated for a while, then stood up and looked around the clearing. The mountain was unusually quiet. No birds sang. No animals moved. Hyakkimaru looked up at the sky as gray clouds rolled across it, obscuring the moon. Thunder rumbled close by.
Hyakkimaru glared at the sky. Lightning struck directly above him. Hyakkimaru jumped out of the way to avoid it. The place where the lightning had struck down sizzled, white-hot.
<i>Is this the same attack as when I was born?</i> Jukai had told him that the basin he'd been found in was struck by lightning, but that some force—probably Manjushri—had protected him.
Thunder reverberated through the clearing.
The tree to Hyakkimaru's left was struck by lightning and burst into flames.
<i>Hyakkimaru does battle with the mysterious energy. Hyakkimaru is fighting alone, so the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mystical Energy - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Mystical Energy - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Kind Path 52 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Kind Path 53 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio lullaby play>>Hyakkimaru decided that it was time for him to leave the mountain. He stood on the summit of Mount Monju at dusk under a deep blue autumn sky and prepared to go through the two boulders again. He'd spent months here in training and contemplation, but he still wasn't sure that he was ready.
The first time he'd attempted to pass through the gap in the two boulders to the light on the other side, a mysterious force had blocked his way and pushed him back.
"On abira un kashal..." Hyakkimaru chanted Manjushri's mantra while he went through the gap. He took a step, then another, and felt no resistance. He was halfway to the light when he felt the force resisting his passage.
<i>Again? What's blocking me this time?</i>
The sensation of being pushed back lasted only a moment. In the time it took him to blink, his body felt lighter, like it was floating in water. The sensation was odd, but it didn't hurt. He'd been prepared to fight against the force with everything he had, but now, progressing forward was easy.
When Hyakkimaru entered the light, he was brought back to the awakening of his earliest consciousness: the time that no one actually remembers. He was sleeping, warm, in his mother's womb. Everything around him was dark and still. The only sound was a heartbeat above him, close.
Then he heard another sound, soft, intoxicatingly sweet and a little muffled: a lullaby.
<i>Where is my mother now? What is she doing?</i>
Until he felt his limbs being ripped from him in the womb, he'd failed to realize that he was whole. It was still dark when he gave his first cry, a pitiful thing that no one heard. He saw faint light ahead of him and felt himself being picked up and carried.
Then he was in a washbasin, being floated down a river.
Hyakkimaru returned to himself on the other side of the light with the two boulders some twelve feet behind him. He was past the exit, though he didn't remember getting there.
"I made it? How?"
He remembered what he'd seen in bits and pieces, but the more he tried to make sense of it all, the more he felt his experiences slipping away from him, already half-forgotten. <i>It was warm. I cried out. There was light, and a river… what was that?</i>
Tokuyūbō had claimed that passing through the light would make him reborn. Hyakkimaru no longer doubted his words. He felt like he'd just received a glimpse of his distant past. Though the memory of his experience faded, the sensation of being warm and safe and loved lingered. He truly felt that he had been born again, but to kinder parents this time.
<<if $sacred_warrior is false>><<set $sacred_warrior to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-29.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Sacred Warrior<br>for completing your quest on Mount Monju.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 70 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
As he walked down the mountain, Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic senses picked up on the presence of a spirit. Not a demon--he sensed no ill intent.
When he looked up, Takumaru was flying overhead. The white hawk alighted on the ground with his wings spread. He flapped his wings, then transformed into the translucent spirit of Mio.
Mio smiled. "I knew you would do it. I'm so proud of you."
Hyakkimaru blinked. "You... you were helping me, the whole time?"
She nodded shyly. "I can't leave the mountain, though. I wish I could."
"Why can't you?"
"This place's spiritual power protects me, but it also confines me. I would need a body to leave." She shrugged. "But I wanted to say goodbye."
"Takeo and the other children miss you," Hyakkimaru said. "You should come back to the temple with me."
Mio gestured down at herself.
Hyakkimaru thought about what she'd said.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru leaves Mio here.->Kind Path 71 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru decides to make Mio a body like his artificial one.->Kind Path - Hyakkimaru Agrees to Help Mio Make a Body for Her Spirit]]>><</button>></center>
"Most of my body isn't a normal human one," Hyakkimaru said. Mio knew this; he'd shown her his artificial limbs when he'd lived in the temple. "Maybe I could make you a body. Or my dad could."
Mio looked up at him. "Really?" Her white-shining eyes, half-transparent, shone with hope.
He nodded. "I'll ask my dad for help. And the children, too, I think they'd like that."
Mio clasped her hands over her heart. "I would love that."
Hyakkimaru smiled. "I... that is, I heard your voice, before. You said you would always be with me."
She nodded. "My spirit will remain on Mount Monju, but I am connected to you through the spiritual energy in your sword. Even if you can't see me, I can sense danger and help you."
"You'll be helping me kill demons."
"As best I can. Yes."
Hyakkimaru looked down. "Thank you. I don't deserve it. I couldn't save you. I'm so sorry."
Mio didn't say anything for a long moment. Then: "You tried to save me. I saw."
Hyakkimaru nodded mechanically, as if it hurt.
"No one else can kill demons," she said. "Not that I know. No one else can protect the children." She put her hands in his, and while he didn't feel pressure or skin, he did feel warmth. "Don't blame yourself. I will do all I can to protect you. You did the same for me."
Hyakkimaru tried to hug her, but his arms went right through.
Mio gave him a gentle smile. "I'll be waiting for you. Come back soon."
<<set $galatea_start to true>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 72 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>At the beginning of March, Sakuzo and his son-in-law Kiyoji brought two horse-drawn carts to the temple. Dororo was the first one to notice them on the mountain path.
"Sakuzō !"
"Ah, are you Dororo? How've you been?"
"Everyone's been waiting for you for ages," Dororo said.
"I see." Sakuzo's eyes crinkled at the corners. "I brought presents for everyone."
Dororo had heard a lot about Sakuzō from Jukai. The other children heard Dororo and Sakuzō talking outside and gathered on the path. Hyakkimaru and Jukai were right behind them.
Sakuzō knew everything that Hyakkimaru had done in the past year thanks to Jukai’s letter. Seeing Hyakkimaru safe, well, and strangely grown-up eased Sakuzō’s mind regarding some of the terrifying things he’d read about demons and battles in the letter. He looked Hyakkimaru up and down, then called out, “I prayed at Kurama Temple every day for you to be safe!” He climbed down from his cart.
“Thank you, uncle Sakuzō,” Hyakkimaru said. “I’ve made it this far thanks to everyone’s help.” His eyes were wet. Jukai was the father who had saved his life and taught him to function; Sakuzō was the father who had taught him about kindness, compassion and the gods. They were both his parents; Hyakkimaru couldn’t imagine his life without them.
Traveling through the snow with the carts had been extremely difficult. Jukai praised Sakuzō and Kiyoji for making it all the way here with their cargo intact. “I never doubted you,” Jukai said, “but it must have been hard.”
Sakuzō folded his arms. “When have I ever failed at a task?”
The two carts were loaded with nuts, spices, staple foods like rice and various kinds of alcohol, some for drinking and some for disinfecting wounds. Sakuzō had packed all of Jukai’s favorites. The medicinal ingredients that Jukai had requested were also packed in with the food supplies. Parchment, cloth, ink, and padded winter clothes for the children were in Kiyoji’s wagon. Preparing so much had cost quite a lot of money, since Sakuzō was essentially relocating from Mount Kurama to a temporary estate.
Sakuzō had bought toys for the children during the journey: handballs, marbles, shogi sets, and dolls. The children laughed in delight when they discovered their presents while helping to unload the wagons. There were also kitchen supplies: pots and pans, candles, containers for storage, and paper lanterns. At Jukai’s instruction, Sakuzō had also brought all of the saltpeter that he’d stored at the estate on Mount Kurama.
That night, Jukai and Hyakkimaru prepared a feast to celebrate Sakuzō’s safe arrival. The children were dressed in their new warm winter clothes. Their cheeks shone like red apples in the light of the kitchen fire.
In the middle of the night, the wind grew stronger. Hyakkimaru was sleeping near Sakuzō. There was a time when Hyakkimaru hadn’t been able to sleep without Sakuzō in the room with him. They'd stayed up looking at the ceiling in his room in the darkness. Sakuzō had taken Hyakkimaru out onto Mount Kurama in a hand cart and had gone to Kurama Temple every day to pray. They’d rarely been apart until Hyakkimaru left for Kyōto.
But now, Hyakkimaru would have to leave Sakuzō again. He had to go to Kaga Province, and Sakuzō couldn’t go. One of his leg was artificial, and someone needed to stay at the temple with the children.
“Sakuzō?” Hyakkimaru whispered.
“Yes?” Sakuzō whispered back.
Hyakkimaru didn’t know what to say. “Take good care of yourself,” he said. “Promise me.”
“Don’t talk like this is the last time we’ll see each other.” He sounded pained.
"It won't be."
"I'll stay here with the children. You should go and kind your birth parents as soon as you can."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 111 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle10 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle10 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle10 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 52 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 53 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 52 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 53 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>At that moment, all of the sacred stones in the clearing lit up with blinding illumination. The bright white light filtered into rainbow colors, then shot toward the demon-killing sword like an arrow from a bow.
The light that emerged from the sword's blade was pure gold. When Hyakkimaru pointed the sword at the sky, the golden light shot from the blade into the gray clouds. Lightning forked overhead. It was answered by more lightning, gold instead of blue-white in color.
The battle between the two sets of lightning was over in an instant, but that instant felt like a long time to Hyakkimaru. During that long moment, Hyakkimaru heard a voice coming from the sacred stones.
"You have been granted the protection of the cosmic forces of light and darkness, child. You possess power beyond the limitations of the heavens and the earth. Believe in the power within yourself, and you shall vanquish evil."
Hyakkimaru's eyes went wide. <i>Is that… Manjushri?!</i>
Hyakkimaru never expected a god to actually <i>talk</i> to him. He stood among the sacred stones, slack-jawed and dumbstruck.
Takumaru flew away into the lightening sky. The clouds were gold-tinged now, and the birds were singing again.
"Thank you," Hyakkimaru said quietly. He bowed his head and prayed.
<img src="Images/BodyPart9.png"><<audio win play>>
<center><i>You have recovered Sahasrara (Crown Chakra, #7) from Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $crown_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 69 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>At that moment, all of the sacred stones in the clearing lit up with blinding illumination. The bright white light filtered into rainbow colors, then shot toward the demon-killing sword like an arrow from a bow.
The light that emerged from the sword's blade was pure gold. When Hyakkimaru pointed the sword at the sky, the golden light shot from the blade into the gray clouds. Lightning forked overhead. It was answered by more lightning, gold instead of blue-white in color.
Hyakkimaru felt himself be lifted up, into the clouds.
The strangest thing about the thunder was that there was no rain.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 54 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio nirvana play loop>>Hyakkimaru alighted on a cloud and didn't fall through. His feet weren't cold. He took a tentative step forward onto the cloud beneath his feet and walked without difficulty.
A terrible thunderstorm raged below him, impossibly far away.
A sharp cry of a bird caught his attention. Takumaru flew through the clouds below him and shook off the chill with a few wide wing flaps. The bird glared at him as if he'd committed some grave sin.
"Takumaru? How did you get here?"
Takumaru's wings glowed for a moment, softly at first and then so brightly that Hyakkimaru couldn't stand to look at the bird. When the bright light faded, a woman stood in Takumaru's place.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 55 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>"You're safe here, right?" Hyakkimaru asked. "No one can hurt you anymore."
Mio nodded.
"I'll come back," Hyakkimaru said. "I'll visit you. But you're better off staying here."
She smiled. "I'll miss you."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 72 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Night came early in autumn.
Hyakkimaru had passed through the inner sanctum of Mount Monju and was reborn. He returned to Tokuyūbō at the foot of the mountain and thanked him for all his help. The news around the mountain was that Asakura Takakage had left the capital and turned rebel. He was fighting against the army that he used to command.
Before heading to Ichijōdani, Hyakkimaru decided to verify Asakura Takakage's whereabouts and plans by asking around in the nearby city. Even Tokuyūbō, who admired Asakura Takakage, wasn't sure what he intended to do next, so Hyakkimaru wanted to gather as much information on the man as possible.
Hyakkimaru stayed at an inn for the night, then headed for Takefu the next morning. The city was full of soldiers and warriors clamoring down the streets in their heavy armor. Messengers had gone out on fast horses to warn the province of an impending attack, so people were on edge everywhere Hyakkimaru looked.
Hyakkimaru had no idea when things had become so dire in the province.
"If you really want to know more, young man, you should head for Ichijōdani before too long," the wandering samurai said to Hyakkimaru. "No one knows how the situation will work out. It changes from moment to moment."
Hyakkimaru nodded. "Ichijōdani is where I'm heading next."
Ichijōdani was a dangerous place at the moment, but Hyakkimaru had no choice but to go there. He needed more information. Hyakkimaru had little particular attachment to this place, but it did remind him of home in some ways, and he had found both peace and understanding of his own past here. His psychokinetic powers had returned to him on Mount Monju. He had no desire to see the area destroyed. He didn't even want to think about what might happen to Mio's spirit. He had to make sure she would be safe before he headed home.
Walking along the mountain path at night watching everything wither and die, Hyakkimaru felt a twinge of loneliness. He knew he should get to Ichijōdani as soon as he could, but the idea of being stranded alone in winter on the road held no appeal for him. He wound up retracing his steps to the place where he'd last met Semimaru.
<i>I'll pray to the gods. Maybe they'll give me some idea of where I should go next. Home, or Ichijōdani?</i>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru chooses to go home to get help building Mio's body.->Kind Path 73 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru heads to Ichijōdani now.->Kind Path 92 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> followed the mountain road to the south, passing by Gōshō Temple along the way. There was scattered torchlight coming from the direction of a side road in the woods as the sun set. There was probably a village nearby. Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> turned onto the side road, following the light until <<if $dororo_party is true>>they<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>he<</if>> reached a village at the foot of the mountain.
The village was a small one. Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> saw no inns or shops, so <<if $dororo_party is true>>they<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>he<</if>> went to the largest estate in town to ask where <<if $dororo_party is true>>they<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>he<</if>> could sleep for the night. <<if $dororo_party is true>>They<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>He<</if>> passed through the large gate at the front of the estate and called out a greeting, but no one answered <<if $dororo_party is true>>them<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>him<</if>>. <<if $dororo_party is true>>They<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>He<</if>> went around the house to the back garden and discovered a large group of people gathered in a courtyard. Most of them were carrying torches.
"How does it look on the mountain?" a man asked. He stood in front of the crowd and was likely the village's leader.
"Not good," a woman replied. "It seems like the more locusts we burn, the more there are."
"Tōshichirō, if things keep going as they are, we'll have a terrible famine next year."
The other villagers made similar predictions. Tōshichirō listened to them all silently, wearing a grave expression.
"Should we have a Fire Festival to protect us against misfortune next year?" Tōshichirō asked.
"Yes," an old woman said. "That's definitely what we should do. Tonight, and every night we have left before winter. We must exterminate every last locust."
"If we decide to do that, we have to hurry," an old man said. "The first snow of the year will fall soon."
"Shall we ask the priestess and shrine maidens to assist us?" the Tōshichirō asked.
The people gathered around him nodded.
Tōshichirō caught sight of Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> and called out to <<if $dororo_party is true>>them<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>him<</if>>. "Ho there, <<if $dororo_party is true>>strangers<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>stranger<</if>>! Are you <<if $dororo_party is true>>travelers<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>a traveler<</if>>? There are no inns nearby, but you're welcome to stay here for the night. It's dangerous on the road at the moment. There are bandits and thieves that rob and kill people on the mountain. If you make camp out there, you might fall asleep and never wake up."
Even without the warning by Tōshichirō, Hyakkimaru<<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> felt motivated to stay. These people seemed to need help in preventing some kind of terrible disaster.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 113 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>After the meeting, Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo were<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>was<</if>>invited to eat dinner with a family in the village. The mother in the family had died young. The father lived with his parents and had a son named Yosaku who was about the same age as Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo <</if>> heard about their problems with the locusts on the mountain in more detail as he ate.
When Hyakkimaru told the family a little about his own travels, Yosaku scoffed in disbelief. "There's no such thing as demons," he said. "You probably just saw something moving in the grass and assumed it was a monster, or saw a shadow after a lightning strike."
<<if $dororo_party is true>>
Dororo scoffed right back. "Pah! Like you'd even know a demon if you saw one! I've seen dozens! No, hundreds!"
"There's no need to exaggerate, Dororo," Hyakkimaru said.
Dororo puffed out his lower lip and snorted.
<</if>>Yosaku frowned sourly, but invited Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> to stay at his house for the night.
Yosaku was rude, but he didn't intend to be inhospitable. Like Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>>, he was an only child. He said that he'd always wanted siblings. Hyakkimaru understood the feeling. The fox demon told him that he had a brother, though he might never meet them.
Hyakkimaru accepted Yosaku's invitation. <<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo pouted and muttered something about sleeping outside, but he stuck close to Hyakkimaru all evening.<</if>> Yosaku set out pillows and blankets in his one-room hut. <<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo dove head-first into pile of pillows and was out like a light.<</if>>
Yosaku and Hyakkimaru talked about the dire situation in the village for a while before going to sleep.
Yosaku didn't remember the previous famine that had swept through the village during the last locust invasion, but stories about it permeated the village's culture. The famines were a matter of oral history. Yosaku wanted to find some way to save the village. He had gone up the mountain and burned as locusts as he could find, but that didn't seem to be enough.
Yosaku's determination reminded Hyakkimaru of Dororo.
"You know I don't really believe in demons and things like that," Yosaku said. "But the village needs help, and you carry a sword and wander on the road alone. I have to think that you're strong enough to help us. If we don't do everything we can now, everyone in the village will starve to death next year."
It made sense that Yosaku would ask for help. He didn't believe in demons or monsters, but he knew that disaster would befall the village if they didn't do everything they could to avert it.
Hyakkimaru didn't know what to say. Yosaku didn't believe in demons: he could hardly expect him to understand things like psychokinesis and the demons that had stolen his body. Even his need to find his birth family would likely fall on deaf ears, since Hyakkimaru could always search for them again after he helped the village.
"If the cause of the locust infestation is a demon, it can be destroyed by piercing its core," Hyakkimaru said. Burning the locusts seemed to do no good at all. It was possible that the infestation had a cause that wasn't completely natural.
"I heard a little bit about your shrine while you were talking about the Fire Festival," Hyakkimaru said. "Does a priestess live there?"
"Yeah. Her name is Mai. She's the most beautiful woman on the mountain." Yosaku grinned. "She came to live here last summer."
Yosaku told Hyakkimaru what he knew about Mai and her shrine. The more Hyakkimaru heard about her, the more interested he became. Mai didn't sound like an ordinary woman.
When Lady Mai had first come to the village, bandits were still prowling about. Lady Mai gathered some of her more costly belongings where they would be seen, then scattered a poisonous powder all around them. When the bandits came to steal her things, they breathed in the powder and collapsed in agony. Many bandits had rolled off the edge of the ravine into the river below.
To the villagers, what Mai had done was like magic. They revered her as something divine. Hyakkimaru was more practical-minded and didn't believe that what she'd done was god-like, merely clever.
"Do you actually think she used magic to drive bandits out of the village?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Yosaku shrugged. "Who can say? She's always been a bit odd."
"Odd?"
"She never leaves the temple, and she always refuses to come out and burn the locusts with us. We need all the help we can get, but all she's willing to do for us is pray."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 114 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next morning, the villagers decided to visit Mai at her temple. They wanted her to officiate the Fire Festival in the hope that a priestess would be able to gain the attention of the gods. Hyakkimaru<<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> followed after the villagers. <<if $dororo_party is true>>They were<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>He was<</if>> very curious about Mai.
When the villagers reached Mai's temple, she was cloistered. She was in the shrine, deep in prayer. The décor of both the estate and the shrine prominently featured swallowtail butterflies. Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo <</if>> stared openly as he and the villagers were led to the shrine by shrine maidens.
Lady Mai was dressed in her priestess garb, patterned all over with butterflies embroidered in gold thread. The villagers brought their palms together and bowed their heads before her.
Mai noticed Hyakkimaru immediately, but said nothing. She turned away from the shrine's altar and faced her shrine maidens.
Hyakkimaru smelled something strange when she moved. He couldn't identify the smell, but he knew that it was unnatural. No one else seemed to notice the smell. Maybe his psychokinesis made him more sensitive to it.
"The villagers apologize for disturbing you, priestess," a shrine maiden said, "but they beg you to conduct a Fire Festival without delay. That is why they have interrupted your morning prayers."
"A Fire Festival? At this time of year?" Mai appeared confused.
"Yes, priestess. The villagers fear that there will be a terrible famine next year. They ask you to pray to the gods for a large harvest tonight."
"Are we to hold a Fire Festival at night?" Mai frowned.
"Yes, priestess. The villagers desire some sign that the locusts will be destroyed. They ask you to hold a Fire Festival and pray for our harvest to be large. Then the villagers will climb the mountain at night with torches and verify that the locust population is—"
"—I can't," Mai said, cutting off the shrine maiden. "I understand the villagers' concerns, of course, but it's the dry season right now. Holding a Fire Festival would invite nothing but disaster. If a single fire gets out of control, it could spread and consume the entire mountain."
Mai shook her head. Her expression was deeply regretful. "I am sorry, but it's not possible to hold a Fire Festival at the moment. I shall pray for the safety of the entire village."
"The entire village agrees that we must perform a Fire Festival, priestess," Tōshichirō said. "We've considered the risk of fire, and we still believe that it must be done."
Mai's stare was sharp, but Tōshichirō didn't falter. "If we keep strict watch over all the fires, we shouldn't have to fear them going out of control."
Many of the other villagers nodded in agreement at his words.
"If we make most of the fires in the marsh where the locusts like to lay eggs, they won't spread. The ground is still wet. And if we don't do a Fire Festival now, we'll regret it next year."
"I heard from my grandmother that the locusts eat the grass and leaves and the roots and bark of trees," a young woman said. "So many people starved... that's not something I ever want to see."
The villagers started talking over one another, all imploring Mai to conduct the Fire Festival, but she remained unmoved.
Tōshichirō pitched his voice to carry. "I understand that you oppose the Fire Festival, priestess, but we must hold it all the same. I ask you to pray for us while we do what has to be done."
The villagers started rushing away from Mai's estate.
"Come on! We have to get ready!"
"Hurry!"
Hyakkimaru knew he should help the villagers, but he had something else to consider first. It seemed reasonable to him that Mai had come here after losing her home in the capital to fire or warfare. It made sense that she would flee somewhere to rebuild, and that extended to the shrine as well.
What was unreasonable was that Mai had come here alone. Yosaku hadn't mentioned any friends or family. She had no servants or attendants. Even if her family was dead, she should certainly have those.
Hyakkimaru knew that Lady Mai was more than what she appeared. What kind of noble lady knew how to use magic, especially magic that could kill? That kind of magic seemed unbecoming for a priestess. As far as Hyakkimaru knew, the gods didn't grant that kind of power.
But demons did, and many demons were weak to fire. Fire had a purifying effect on cursed ground and repelled evil spirits. It had not escaped Hyakkimaru's notice that there were no lights or fires set inside Mai's shrine. Mai had also refused to perform the Fire Festival despite the pleas of all the villagers.
<i>Lady Mai must hate fire. There's definitely a reason for that.</i>
<<if $dororo_party is true>>"I don't like this, aniki," Dororo said. "People shouldn't starve, and priestesses are supposed to do Fire Festivals and stuff. Something's fishy here."<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 115 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The Fire Festival was held three nights later at the edge of the marsh where the locusts most liked to lay their eggs. To prevent a disastrous famine like the one that had happened sixty-four years before, the villagers had to burn the marsh and all the eggs that they could find. Aside from Mai and her priestesses, all of the villagers participated, from the oldest man to the youngest child.
Fires were set all over the marsh and the mountain, watched over by villagers so that they wouldn't spread too far. The villagers gathered around the fires and prayed to be saved from starvation. The village leader, Tōshichirō, adorned himself in a white kimono and ceremonial headgear and chanted prayers to dispel curses and keep away evil spirits.
Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo <</if>> stood a little apart from the villagers, watching the sparks from the flames rise into the sky. Priestess Mai stood in the sparsely wooded area near the marsh, also observing the Fire Festival. It could have been a trick of the light, but her face twisted and became hideous when the fires illuminated it.
The part of the forest that the villagers burned looked like blackened bones in the moonlight. Mai picked up a charred and withered leaf on the ground tenderly. There were locust eggs on it, but all of them had been destroyed by fire. Mai crushed the leaf in her fist and scattered its pieces. Her expression contained equal parts rage and despair.
There was a torch-bearer in front of Mai. Three more fires were set in the marsh, large and getting larger. Mai shrank back from the light in terror and revulsion. She wanted to flee, but she couldn't. She felt like she'd been lured here. If she left now, she would only wind up finding her way back. The fire drew her as it did the insects; she could find no escape from it.
Mai came very close to a fire set in a pit. No one was tending to it at the moment. She got so close that she felt the heat on her face and groaned.
A peculiar voice echoed in the darkness. "If you like the fire that much, you'll be destroyed by it."
"Ah!" Mai went still in front of the fire. She felt like she couldn't move.
The voice spoke again. "Mai, you must obey our will."
Mai felt herself being dragged away from the fire by some unseen force. By the time she had control over her limbs again, she was standing at the side of a stream. The reflection of the moon shimmered on the surface of the fast-moving water. Mai's reflection did not show her usual beautiful face. Her appearance had completely changed: she was so hideous that she couldn't bear to look at herself.
Mai tried to look away, but the same mysterious force that had pulled her to the stream held her still.
"You are cruel," Mai said hoarsely.
"It is the face of your mortal existence. You should not forget it."
"What do you intend by revealing my true form?" Mai asked. "Who are you?"
The other voice laughed. "You have not changed from what you were. Humans call us the Hall of Hell demons."
"Hall of Hell demons?"
"Do you hate your ugly face? Are you jealous of the people you've killed?" There was no kindness in the voice, only cold anger.
"I..." Mai didn't know what to say. This Hall of Hell demon clearly knew about her past.
"You have borrowed a beautiful form, but your true nature is as hideous as you are. Would you like to be reborn as a beautiful woman? Or stay on your estate in this village, living in peace?"
"I would like to be reborn," Mai said. She couldn't return to the capital now, even in her borrowed body. Returning there as she was, she would have to live as she had as a child, only going out at night and hiding inside during the day, avoiding unkind eyes. And her ugliness wasn't her only concern. Her past followed her wherever she went. She had assumed the guise of a priestess, but everything was an act—a cover for who she really was. Being reborn, and reborn beautiful, would give Mai a fresh start.
"If you make a vow to us, you will become even more beautiful than Bōjō Shōshi."
Bōjō Shōshi was the name of the woman Mai had borrowed her shape from. She'd worn Shōshi's face as her own for many years.
Mai pressed her palms tightly together. "Then I will make whatever promise you desire."
"Good. There is a young man in the village named Hyakkimaru. The other villagers do not realize it, but much of his body is false. He moves it using a foul and arcane power. Destroy his limbs, and you will be reborn into a body more beautiful than you can imagine."
"Destroy his limbs?" There was doubt and confusion in her expression. "Why not kill him? Would that not be easier?"
"He suffers more in life than he would in death," the Hall of Hell demon said.
Mai knew a little about fates worse than death. This powerful demon wanted to inflict such a fate on this Hyakkimaru person, whoever he was. In exchange, Mai would get what she'd always wanted.
"All right," Mai said. "I swear to you that I will destroy Hyakkimaru's limbs. I won't kill him."
"You must not underestimate him," the Hall of Hell demon said. "He has power of his own, and the protection of Manjushri, a god of wisdom and compassion. Use caution when you approach him."
The demon laughed. It was a cutting, cruel sound. As the voice of the demon faded away, the fires Mai could see from the riverbank all went out.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 116 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru took the shortest way home.
Dororo and Jukai came out to greet him. "So? Didja get your mojo back?"
"I think so," Hyakkimaru said. "I think... maybe more than that." He looked to Jukai. "I saw Mio's spirit on Mount Monju. She can't leave the mountain unless she has an, um, body."
Jukai's eyes glinted in amusement.
Dororo frowned. "You can't just <i>make</i> bodies, can you?"
Hyakkimaru gave Dororo a flat look as he scratched at his artificial left arm.
Comprehension slowly dawned on Dororo's face.
"Oh!" he said. "Oh."
"That doesn't mean it'll be easy to do, just because it's possible," Jukai said. "I'll need materials. You two can go gathering in the mountains starting tomorrow."
"Not right away?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Jukai shook his head. "Come inside and have some soup. You look exhausted."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 74 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next morning, after Hyakkimaru had recovered somewhat from his travels, Jukai gave Dororo and Hyakkimaru their assignments. He would be going to Ohara to gather healing herbs, while Dororo was tasked with climbing the tall cedars for branches and tapping them for their sap. Hyakkimaru wanted to visit Ichijōdani soon for information, so Jukai tasked him with going there.
"I wanna go with," Dororo said with a pout. "You just got back."
Jukai and Hyakkimaru exchanged glances.
<center><<button[[Dororo comes with Hyakkimaru.->Kind Path 75 - Ichijodani - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Go Together]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru goes alone.->Kind Path 92 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Ichijōdani was to the northeast of Mount Monju, in the Asuwa District of Ezichen Province. The city was strategically located at the conflux of the Asuwa River and the much narrower Ichijōdani River, which cut through the valley via a narrow gap between mountain peaks. It was a picturesque and beautiful place, though the view was marred somewhat by the enormous fortress that stood perched on a high slope in the distance.
A few dozen armored and helmeted riders lined up along the Ichijōdani River and approached the fortress. The horses moved very quietly, but every tiny sound made the riders glance warily around. The family crest on their banners was three japonica flowers, so it was obvious that these were warriors serving the Asakura Clan.
The rider who led the others was particularly conspicuous. His head was bald and bare, though he couldn't have been more than thirty years old. The gold thread and fittings on his armor sparkled brightly in the dappled sunlight. Though he was currently frowning in agitation, he would be considered by most to be an attractive man, at least when he wasn't scowling. His name was Asakura Mitsuhisa. He was a monk and his older brother Takakage's staunchest supporter.
While the fortress in Ichijōdani was quite large, there were many others maintained within the province. The riders, led by Mitsuhisa, reached the front of the fortress and stopped. A tiny dart flew out from atop the earthen embankment above the fortress and pierced Asakura Mitsuha's horse in the stomach. The darts were made of bamboo and not metal, or the damage might have been much worse. The horse bucked and reared, but Mitsuhisa was used to controlling horses in combat and quickly quieted his steed.
Dororo climbed to the top of the earthen embankment and looked down. "Gah!" He was so surprised by the riders that he lost his balance and fell, rolling away from the embankment.
One of the riders charged at Dororo's unmoving body, but he jumped up and darted away from the horse's legs before he could get trampled. "Why, you little…"
The other men gripped their spears tightly.
"Don't pester us, brat," the rider who'd almost trampled Dororo said. "Unless you want us to pester you."
"Enough," Mitsuhisa said.
The riders frowned, but made no move to attack Dororo. Dororo confirmed that he was safe, then approached Mitsuhisa with his palms upraised. "Excuse me, sir, but I have a request, if you're willing to grant it."
Mitsuhisa frowned down at Dororo in distaste. "Never mind," he said. "Kill him."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 76 - Ichijodani - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Go Together]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $dororo_party to false>>Ichijōdani was to the northeast of Mount Monju, in the Asuwa District of Ezichen Province. The city was strategically located at the conflux of the Asuwa River and the much narrower Ichijōdani River, which cut through the valley via a narrow gap between mountain peaks. It was a picturesque and beautiful place, though the view was marred somewhat by the enormous fortress that stood perched on a high slope in the distance.
A few dozen armored and helmeted riders lined up along the Ichijōdani River and approached the fortress. The horses moved very quietly, but every tiny sound made the riders glance warily around. The family crest on their banners was three japonica flowers, so it was obvious that these were warriors serving the Asakura Clan.
The rider who led the others was particularly conspicuous. His head was bald and bare, though he couldn't have been more than thirty years old. The gold thread and fittings on his armor sparkled brightly in the dappled sunlight. Though he was currently frowning in agitation, he would be considered by most to be an attractive man, at least when he wasn't scowling. His name was Asakura Mitsuhisa. He was a monk and his older brother Takakage's staunchest supporter.
In his youth, Mitsuhisa spent time at the Kennin Temple in Kyōto associated with the Rinzai Sect of Buddhism, where he was treated particularly well because of his close connection to his brother. There wasn't a man, woman or child in Asuwa District who didn't know his name.
The riders, led by Mitsuhisa, reached the front of the fortress and stopped. A tiny dart flew out from atop the earthen embankment above the fortress and pierced Asakura Mitsuha's horse in the stomach. The darts were made of bamboo and not metal, or the damage might have been much worse. The horse bucked and reared, but Mitsuhisa was used to controlling horses in combat and quickly quieted his steed.
An enemy spy climbed to the top of the earthen embankment and looked down. "Gah!" He was so surprised by the riders that he lost his balance and fell, rolling away from the embankment.
One of the riders charged at the spy's unmoving body, but he jumped up and darted away from the horse's legs before he could get trampled.
As the spy started running off, Hyakkimaru emerged from the trees and caught the spy by the throat.
As the spy gagged, Hyakkimaru looked up at Mitsuhisa. "Friend of yours?" he asked.
Mitsuhisa's customary scowl lightened a touch. "Bring him. Bring them both, but restrain the one who hurt my damn horse." He patted the animal's side.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 93 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo was not easily dissuaded—or easily frightened. "Huh? But aren't you Asakura Mitsuhisa, the most compassionate warrior monk in all of Ezichen Province? Would you really kill a child?" He folded his arms.
Mitsuhisa laughed. "You are insolent," he said. "Did you figure out who I was and decide to pull some kind of prank?"
Dororo did recognize him: he'd seen Asakura Takakage when he'd lived in the capital. Takakage was a very powerful general.
"I couldn't just approach you like a normal person," Dororo said. "There's no way you would have agreed to meet with me."
"You talk far too much, child," Mitsuhisa said. "What is it that you want?"
Hyakkimaru jumped down from the embankment and dropped to his knees before Asakura Mitsuhisa.
"And who are you?" Mitsuhisa asked.
"I humbly ask you to forgive my younger brother's rudeness," he said. "I'm a traveling swordsman. My name is Hyakkimaru."
"Hyakkimaru?" Mitsuhisa's eyes lit up. "Bring them both," he said, then motioned for the riders to enter the fortress.
The riders surrounded Dorororo and Hyakkimaru, then bound their hands behind their backs. Neither one resisted. Dororo gave Hyakkimaru a cat-like smile that seemed to say, I told you so.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 77 - Ichijodani - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Go Together]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Ichijōdani Fortress was guarded by sentinels day and night, so there was no easy way to approach it. Dororo's idea was to wait for a patrol to pass by the entrance to the fortress and make a direct appeal, so that was what they’d decided to do. While being bound and dragged inside wasn't the best possible outcome, Hyakkimaru could honestly say that he never thought they'd manage to get this far.
Dororo and Hyakkimaru were brought to a room in the samurai guardhouse, where their hands were unbound. They weren't treated as prisoners, but it seemed that Mitsuhisa wanted them to be closely watched. Hyakkimaru had never been inside a fortress before and was quickly lost, even though the samurai guardhouse wasn't very far from the front gates. There was an atmosphere of tension and high alert enveloping the place, though he saw no obvious cause for this.
After a long wait, Asakura Mitsuhisa entered the samurai guardhouse, trailed by his bodyguards. Hyakkimaru went to his knees with his hands raised in supplication and his face cast down. Dororo copied his movements.
"Are you aware of the consequences for attacking a samurai while they're going about their daily business?" Mitsuhisa asked. "I imagine you are."
"I am prepared to face whatever punishment you deem fit," Hyakkimaru said. "But I would not have risked so much if I did not have an urgent request to make of you."
"Oh? Interesting. What is this request?" His eyes were hard and cold, but his tone conveyed a hint of amusement.
"Forgive my impertinence, but it is the greatest ambition of my life to meet Asakura Takakage, if only for a moment."
"What? You wish to meet my brother?"
"I beg you to carry my request to him," Hyakkimaru said, pressing his face to the floor. Dororo did the same.
"Great general Mitsuhisa sir, we came all the way from the capital, hearing of your and Asakura Takakage's great deeds. Won't you please consider the request?" Dororo asked, using an uncharacteristically polite tone.
"You call me 'great general,' do you?" Mitsuhisa barked out a laugh. "I applaud your courage, foolish though it is. I can request a meeting, but there is no guarantee he will agree."
Hyakkimaru was near tears. "Anything you can do for us is greatly appreciated," he said. "I thank you for hearing us."
Both Hyakkimaru and Dororo bowed their heads politely.
Mitsuhisa withdrew from the room, along with his guards. After they left, Dororo faced Hyakkimaru with eyes full of admiration.
"What?" Hyakkimaru asked. "What did I do?"
"You talked like a samurai," Dororo said in a hushed whisper. "I didn't know you could do that. You've never done it before."
"Not in front of you, no. Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do?'"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 78 - Ichijodani - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Go Together]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo's idea had gotten them into the fortress successfully, but there was no guarantee that Hyakkimaru would meet Asakura Takakage. He was a great and fearsome general, and had no reason to meet with them.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo stayed in the fortress until nightfall, when torches were lit in the guardhouse and outside the fortress. Dororo yawned hugely, then said, "Maybe we should give up, aniki. It's getting late."
Less than a minute later, the door to the room slid open, revealing two samurai. Mitsuhisa had returned, leading another samurai in heavy, well-maintained armor and a helmet that identified him as a high-ranking general. It was Asakura Takakage: of that, Hyakkimaru had no doubt.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo prostrated themselves before the two samurai.
"I'm Takakage. Are you Hyakkimaru?" Asakura Takakage asked.
Hyakkimaru's voice shook when he answered, "I am Hyakkimaru. I beg you to forgive my selfish request in desiring to meet you, sir. Seeing you now fulfills an aspiration that I have carried with me for many months."
"Be silent. I've heard of you, you know. You travel from place to place, setting fires and causing havoc as a spy of our enemies. Who knows how many dozens or hundreds of men died because of you."
"Kid, you really walked into the wrong place," Mitsuhisa put in.
"I'm not a spy!" Hyakkimaru insisted.
Takakage and Mitsuhisa laughed hard enough to shake the walls. "Everyone says that," Takakage said. "You must be new around here."
Hyakkimaru and Dororo gaped up at Takakage in shock.
"That said, you've shown courage in coming here," Takakage said.
"I did what I said I would," Mitsuhisa said. "My brother is here. What did you want to ask him?"
"I'm trying to find a general," Hyakkimaru said.
"Oh? Which army is he in?"
"I don't know," Hyakkimaru said.
Takakage and Mitsuhisa exchanged glances. "What's his clan, then?" Takakage asked.
"The clan is Daigo," Hyakkimaru said.
"There was an Emperor called Daigo a long time ago," Mitsuhisa said, "and there's a Daigo Temple in Kyōto, but I'm not aware of any clan."
"There are a few samurai clans with that name, though they're somewhat obscure," Takakage said. "Let's see... I've heard of Daigo Shinbē, Daigo Kagemitsu..."
Hyakkimaru's shoulders shifted forward involuntarily. "Yes. Daigo Kagemitsu is his name."
Mitsuhisa folded his arms. "Are you sure about that, Hyakkimaru?"
"Yes. He lived near the capital eighteen years ago."
Takakage snorted. "Well, he's a samurai all right, but you'd be wrong if you described him as human."
"That much, I do know." Hyakkimaru clenched his fist.
"I don't know if it's the same man, but there's a Daigo Kagemitsu in the Eastern Army," Takakage said. "He's in Kaga, serving under Togashi Masachika."
"Kaga? Where in Kaga?"
"He could be anywhere in Kaga," Mitsuhisa said. "There's a war on. Fortresses are popping up all over the place and armies are on the move. We don't know the ins and outs of the Eastern Army in so much detail. You can't expect us to tell you something that specific." Under his breath, he coughed, "spy."
Hyakkimaru reddened. Mitsuhisa was right. Even if he and Takakage did know where Daigo Kagemitsu was at the moment, they'd be fools to reveal what they knew about the Eastern Army's movements.
"I've told you as much as I know," Takakage said.
Togashi Masachika was only eighteen years old, but he was the governor of Kaga Province and ruled from Takao Castle.
Mitsuhisa smiled, and it wasn't unkind. "Does that satisfy you, Hyakkimaru?"
Hyakkimaru prostrated himself before Takakage and Mitsuhisa again. "Yes. Thank you very much."
"It's getting late," Takakage said. "Take these two to a temple. They can spend the night there."
Mitsuhisa nodded in acknowledgement.
"So long, Hyakkimaru," Takakage said. He left.
Hyakkimaru bowed politely to see him off. Dororo's jaw was on the floor.
"I guess I should have expected him to be like that," Dororo said sagely. "Great military general at all. Gotta be efficient."
Hyakkimaru glanced sidelong at him. "You're very rude, Dororo."
"Who, me?" He pretended to be contrite, but he was laughing internally; Hyakkimaru could tell.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 79 - Ichijodani - Dororo and Hyakkimaru Go Together]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next morning dawned gray with sparse cloud cover. There was a chill in the air that heralded the arrival of winter.
Hyakkimaru looked up at the gray sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Does it snow along with thunderstorms in the northern provinces?" Dororo asked.
Hyakkimaru didn't answer. His eyes flicked from the sky to the northern road, but otherwise, he didn't move a muscle. He and Dororo stood there for a long while in gray mist before they started moving again.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 80 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> returned to the temple after getting what information they could from Ichijōdani. The next stop would be in Kaga Province. Hyakkimaru still didn't know exactly where his birth father was.
After a meal and a rest, Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> stopped in to see Jukai.<<if $galatea_start is true>> was busily at work making improvements to the prosthetic pieces used to house Mio's spirit. Mio still couldn't talk, though she smiled at everyone and was dexterous enough to help the children gather food and firewood, albeit slowly.
"I'm not sure if it was the samurai or the demons who were targeting her, to be honest," Jukai said, looking up from his workbench.
"What do you mean?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"I mean that she is a natural when it comes to psychokinesis. She's grasping it faster than you or me, and I would have thought that impossible. She's a remarkable girl."
"Yeah," Hyakkimaru agreed. "She is."<</if>>
Hyakkimaru <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> helped Jukai mix medicine and look after the children. Takeo was learning to read. <<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo pretended not to be interested.<</if>>
The next day, Hyakkimaru decided to go and test out his recovered psychokinesis. There were still plenty of demons to fight.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru goes alone.->Kind Path 102 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru brings Dororo along.->Kind Path 81 - Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The ground shook under their feet, leading to a cloud of red fog that was impossible to see through. Hyakkimaru looked for Dororo in the fog, but couldn't find him.
"Dororo!"<<if $jukai_party is true>>
"Dororo! Where are you?" Jukai told Hyakkimaru to use his psychokinetic senses to search for Dororo. He couldn't sense the child, either.
<</if>><<if $midoro_party is true>>
Midoro stomped one foot angrily.
<</if>>
The demon didn't let the search continue for very long. It broke through the ground with its maw wide-open, ready to consume Hyakkimaru whole.
<<if $midoro_party is false and $jukai_party is false>><center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 5 - Battle with the Red Centipede]]>><</button>></center><<else>><center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 6 - Battle with the Red Centipede]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
The demon took the form of a gigantic red centipede. Hyakkimaru narrowly dodged being eaten, but the centipede pursued him at speed. He readied his demon-killing sword and prepared to fight.
<i>Hyakkimaru and the red cloud demon do battle. Since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Red Centipede - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Red Centipede - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Pragmatic Path 8 - Dororo's Solo Adventure]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Pragmatic 17]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo was running, but not in the same direction as the battle. The earth under his feet was on fire, and he was surrounded in red fire. Sparks leaped into the sky as he ran. He couldn't find Hyakkimaru anywhere.
After running for what felt like hours, Dororo emerged from the woods and got onto a mountain path at dawn. He was sweating and shivering all over.
Looking around at the trees and mountains on the path, Dororo realized that he had no idea where he was. He did know which way he was facing.
<i>I hope Jukai and aniki are safe...</i>
He was glad to have gotten away from the flaming demon, but he didn't like being alone out here.
It started snowing. Dororo wore no coat. He felt the snowflakes melting on his bare skin. "It's freezing..."
The snow on the ground was thick and hadn't even started melting yet. Dororo suddenly felt very cold and very alone, like he was the last person left in the whole world.
Dororo hadn't been alone for years. He'd lived with Hyakkimaru and Jukai at the ruined temple, and he'd been traveling with Hyakkimaru since they'd met. He missed his familiar people.
A group of foot soldiers rode up behind Dororo.
"Ah!" He ducked down before he could be spotted, but it was too late: the ashigaru gave chase, calling out to one another as they surrounded him.
"Stop!" the soldiers shouted after him.
Dororo shot one in the neck with his darts. He fell from his horse, causing brief confusion among Dororo's pursuers. The horse trampled the dead man's body and impeded the other men's progress.
Dororo pitched forward when his legs got caught in some overgrown tree roots. He rolled as he fell, getting back on his feet at the edge of a cliff.
"Look for the brat," one of the soldiers said.
Dororo ducked down again.
The soldiers dismounted and began a search of the cliff.
At just this moment, a strange rider appeared from the woods. Their hakama were far too large and their face was covered by a white cloth so that only their eyes were visible. There was a long sword strapped to their back.
The ashigaru were briefly distracted by the appearance of this new rider. Dororo used this moment of inattention to dash around them and take a horse. He was long gone by the time they realized he was no longer on the cliff.
As for the rider, they vanished into the woods, leaving no trace that they had ever been there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 18]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Midoro shifted her weight into her heels and reared. She charged at the demon, facing it head-on with her hooves on fire. S
The demon moved to flee. Hyakkimaru leaped on its burning head and stabbed down, finding the core of the demon and shattering it.
At once, all the flames went out, and the demon disintegrated into ash.
"Let's look for Dororo," Jukai said. "He can't have gone far."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 8 - Dororo's Solo Adventure]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>The demon took the form of a gigantic red centipede. Hyakkimaru narrowly dodged being eaten, but the centipede pursued him at speed. He readied his demon-killing sword and prepared to fight.
<<if $jukai_party is true>>Jukai summoned mage fire to his palm and planted his feet.
<</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>>Midoro's mane flared with gold-red flames.
<</if>>
<<if $jukai_party is true>><center><<button[[Let Jukai handle this.->Pragmatic Path 7 - Battle with the Red Centipede]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>><center><<button[[Let Midoro handle this.->Pragmatic 17]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $allies > 1>><center><<button[[Have all your allies work together. (Hyakkimaru's attack power increases for each ally.)->Pragmatic 15]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai made a fist and closed his eyes. He assumed a forward stance used in demon and spirit exorcism. The area around the demon caught fire. The flames moved in a circle shape, surrounding Jukai, Hyakkimaru and Midoro.
Jukai wiped sweat from his forehead, then opened a gap near the back of the circle that was wide enough for Hyakkimaru and Midoro to run through. "Hurry," he called out hoarsely.
Hyakkimaru ran through. Midoro wasn't threatened by the flames and watched curiously.
Jukai intensified the power of the flames, and the giant red centipede burned to ashes.
Hyakkimaru used his demon-killing sword to find the core of the demon and destroy it before it disintegrated.
"Let's look for Dororo," Jukai said. "He can't have gone far."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 8 - Dororo's Solo Adventure]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai made a fist and closed his eyes. He assumed a forward stance used in demon and spirit exorcism. The area around the demon caught fire. The flames moved in a circle shape, surrounding Jukai.
Midoro shifted her weight into her heels and reared. She charged at the demon, facing it head-on with her hooves on fire. She pummeled the side of the giant red centipede's head with her own cleansing flames.
As fire surrounded the demon on all sides, it moved to flee. Hyakkimaru leaped on its burning head and stabbed down, finding the core of the demon and shattering it.
At once, all the flames went out, and the demon disintegrated into ash.
"Let's look for Dororo," Jukai said. "He can't have gone far."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic Path 8 - Dororo's Solo Adventure]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo awoke from a very deep sleep. He was burning up with fever and his back hurt like he’d been stabbed. He had dreamed of falling from an endless cliff. He’ d kept falling without reaching the ground. Now that he was awake, he remembered that he had fallen from a cliff before falling asleep.
A sour smell stung his nostrils. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on his back in a crudely built, one-room hut.
“Oh? You’re awake?” a woman asked. She was outside the hut, but when she saw Dororo stirring, she came inside. Dororo guessed that she was about thirty years old, with long dark hair and very pale skin. Dororo had never met her before, but she closely resembled Dororo’s mother.
“Did you save me?” Dororo asked. “Thank you.” He remembered falling from the horse.
The woman sat down next to Dororo and felt his forehead. “You still have a fever,” she said. “You should go back to sleep.”
“I can’t,” Dororo said. “I have to go.”
The woman smiled. “I don’t think you can stand yet.”
Dororo tried to get to his feet, but pain lanced through his whole body. “Ow ow ow, it hurts!”
The woman laughed. “Well, aren’t you a strong-willed one. What’s your name?”
“Dororo.”
“Dororo? Is that your real name?”
“It is now,” he muttered.
“I’m Ochika,” she said. “You can call me auntie, if you like.”
“Where are we?” Dororo asked. There were more people outside the hut. Dororo heard the neighing and nickering of horses.
“Eguri Valley,” she said. “This is our secret hideout. No one knows we’re here.”
“Secret hideout?”
“Amida Buddha protects this place,” Ochika said. “Don’t worry. It’s perfectly safe.”
Dororo was not very religious. He didn’t even know who Amida Buddha was, beyond the name.
“I have some rice porridge that should be ready to eat,” Ochika said. “Wait here. Don’t try to get up again just yet.”
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 19]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Mai returned to her estate with all haste and entered her shrine. She closed the doors and windows so that light from the village's torches wouldn't disturb her, then collapsed to her knees and prayed. "I beg to be reborn beautiful. All I need to do is steal one more man's heart..."
Mai returned to the marshy forest, moving in silence. The harsh light of the autumn moon made all the shadows on the mountain appear sharp and angular. Mai saw no more torches. The villagers must have completed the Fire Festival and returned to the village leader's house for feasting and drinking. The villagers would continue their hunt for locust eggs the next day, including all the women and children.
As Mai thought, the search for locust eggs began at dawn the next day. The village children would take over the search at noon. In addition to the torch-bearers that burned the eggs, there were many people carrying sticks and staves to dig eggs out of the ground.
The eggs of the locusts were very small and difficult to see. One small patch of earth of leaves might contain as many as three hundred eggs. It was impossible to reach them all. Still, the villagers burned as man as they could.
All of a sudden, a ball of blue fire appeared above the treetops in the mountain forest. It fell to earth, leaving a long trail like a shooting star or a comet. It was followed by another fireball, and another. They fell one by one and made no sound.
The villagers watched the fireballs with expressions of awe. All at once, they fled from the forest so they wouldn't be hit by the blue flames. None of them were brave enough to go back to the forest, so they gathered outside of Tōshichirō's house again and consulted with one another over what they should do.
"It was evil spirits!" one man shouted. "They had to be!"
An old woman shook her head. "Evil spirits are red, not blue," she said.
<<if $dororo_party is true>> Dororo <</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>and Hyakkimaru<</if>> called out to a young woman, "Miss? Did you wash your hair?"
"Huh? No, not recently," the young woman said. "Why?"
The villagers appeared puzzled. <<if $dororo_party is true>> Dororo <</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>and Hyakkimaru<</if>> was a stranger, and he was asking unusual questions that seemed to have nothing to do with the situation at hand.
"Village headman, sir," Hyakkimaru said, <<if $dororo_party is true>> supporting Dororo's observation as best he could, being a stranger himself<</if>>. "Please take a close look at that woman's hair."
"Her hair?" Tōshichirō asked. He glanced at the young woman, but didn't notice anything unusual about her or her hair. "I see nothing."
"Look very closely," <<if $dororo_party is true>> Dororo <</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>and Hyakkimaru<</if>> said. "Please. There's something shining in her hair."
Tōshichirō brought a candle closer to the woman, then frowned. "I see. You're right. It looks like skin or scales, though that's not quite it..."
The villagers all looked very closely at the woman, then exchanged uncomfortable glances.
"Didn't one of those fireballs fall right over your head?" a young man asked in a strident tone. It seemed that flakes of molted skin fell on her head during the fireball attack.
"It's a curse," the young man said. "The locusts cursed us."
"We need to stop searching for eggs," an old man said. "The curse might be deadly, for all we know. We can't afford to lose anyone."
"Stay off the mountain for now," Tōshichirō said. "We'll visit the priestess tomorrow morning, early. She may be able to explain this curse, if there actually is one."
"How many fireballs were there?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Did anyone count?"
"There were seven," a man said. "I saw them. I wanted to run, but I froze."
The man had seen everyone who'd been attacked. Hyakkimaru heard more about what had happened in the forest from him and the other villagers.
Hyakkimaru had no special attachment to this village. It was probably better for him not to get involved more than he already was. He could leave the village and find an inn somewhere. He wanted to go home, and soon.
Still, Hyakkimaru had no intention of leaving. He felt like he'd stopped here for a reason. There were too many things that didn't make sense. An infestation of locusts on the scale he'd seen was unnatural, and there was something very strange about priestess Mai that he couldn't quite identify. She had come to this village six months ago for reasons that she'd never stated. The fireballs in the sky were definitely supernatural and possibly demonic.
Hyakkimaru was determined to find out what was going on here. He didn't know if there was a connection between Mai, the locusts and the fireballs, but he was determined to find out.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 117 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>The next morning, the villagers all gathered together behind Tōshichirō to visit Lady Mai again. Hyakkimaru<<if $dororo_party is true>> and Dororo <</if>> accompanied them. <<if $dororo_party is true>> They<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>He<</if>> wanted to know what could be done about the people who'd been marked by the strange molted skin.
When Mai heard the villagers' report, she immediately sank into a deep prayer pose. Mai's shrine maidens looked at her in alarm and began a chant to ward away curses.
The villagers also knelt down in prayer. Hyakkimaru pretended to pray, though he kept observing the villagers out of the corner of his eye. <<if $dororo_party is true>> Dororo fidgeted so much that he was distracting to other people.<</if>> Mai appeared sincerely relieved after the prayers were done.
"The village should be safe now," Mai said. "We can look forward to next spring without any fear."
The villagers bowed their heads politely. "Thank you so much, priestess!"
Mai seemed pleased, but Hyakkimaru caught something suspicious in her expression. He glanced over at the shrine's sacred artifact: a swallowtail butterfly chrysalis. <<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo looked where he did and frowned. <</if>>
"Isn't it lovely?" Mai said to Hyakkimaru. "The more I look at it, the more beautiful I think it is. Don't you agree?" When Hyakkimaru said nothing, she went on, "Insects are remarkable creatures. They have six legs—six!—and are very tough and strong." <i>Unlike you, whose limbs are false and weak,</i> Mai thought but didn't say.
Hyakkimaru gave Mai a slightly cynical smile, as if he understood what she'd left unsaid. "Insects are only strong in comparison to their size. Any ordinary four-limbed person could crush a bug easily, and we often do."
<<if $dororo_party is true>>"People eat bugs all the time," Dororo said, making a face. "People are way tougher than any bug!"<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>and Hyakkimaru<</if>>
The villagers didn't understand the real meaning behind what Hyakkimaru<<if $dororo_party is true>>, Dororo, <</if>> and Mai said to one another, but they could sense the tension between them.
"I will continue to pray every day for the village's safety and prosperity," Mai said.
Tōshichirō and the other villagers thanked Mai profusely, then withdrew. Hyakkimaru<<if $dororo_party is true>> and Dororo<</if>> lingered a little behind the other villagers, but <<if $dororo_party is true>> they<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>>he<</if>> left as well.
Mai faced the altar again, surrounded by her seven shrine maidens.
<i>I'm glad Hyakkimaru realizes the danger is in. It's always more fun when they know.</i>
Mai laughed.
Later that day, Yosaku vanished from the village.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 118 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai sat on the hill above the temple in a meditation pose, praying for Hyakkimaru's continued safety. What he was doing was similar to what he'd taught Hyakkimaru long ago. He gathered his psychokinetic energy within his mind and directed it toward a purpose. Psychokinetic energy was visible in the air to everyone who had the potential to use it. Hyakkimaru was naturally gifted and had grasped the use of this energy within months, but it had taken Jukai eight long years to attain full mastery of it.
Jukai had also resumed training in karate and hand fighting after settling in the ruined temple. By the time he finished his prayers and his training, it was growing dark. <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and the other children would probably be eating dinner by now.<</if>>
Jukai noticed dark storm clouds unfurling overhead as he came down from the hill. It could just be a storm, but he said a prayer just in case the clouds were a portent of something worse.
"God of Iwakura Shrine, worker of miracles..."
A high-pitched sound like a scream echoed in the air. Lightning flashed twice, but made no sound. The third time lightning struck, it was directly over Jukai's head. He fled from the lightning, but he wasn't fast enough.
A shaft of bright light broke through the clouds from the north. The lightning vanished before it could touch Jukai. The clouds overhead dissipated slowly, revealing the clear evening sky. The prayer had worked this time; he felt no more demonic presence in the air.
The next morning, a messenger arrived at the ruined temple from Hino Village. It was Yosaku. <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo eyed the villager with wary suspicion. No one ever came to this temple. Dororo was the only one outside the temple at this hour, so he approached the villager slowly.
"Are you Dororo?" the villager asked. "It's an odd name, but..."
"Stay back!" Dororo said. "I don't trust you. Or like you. Go away." He removed his darts from his sleeve.
"Well, you match the description I was given. Can you pass this to Lord Jukai?" the man asked, pulling a roll of paper from his breast pocket.
"Maybe," Dororo said. "What's your name, asshole?"
The man laughed. "You talk like a pint-sized samurai. I'm Yosaku. I come from Hino Village to the north."
"You talk like a country bumpkin," Dororo said dismissively. "And I've never heard of this Heno Village."
"It's <i>Hino</i> Village," Yosaku said. His expression showed his irritation plainly. "I was hoping to find Lord Jukai. I have a message for him from Hyakkimaru."
"What? From aniki?" Dororo's entire demeanor changed in an instant. He laughed. "I see. So Hyakkimaru's in Hino Village, then? Where is that?"
"At the foot of Mount Hino," Yosaku said. "But I'm in a hurry. Hyakkimaru said this message was urgent."
<</if>>
Jukai heard <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and<</if>> Yosaku approaching from inside and came out of the temple. "Who are you?" Jukai asked.
"A messenger," Yosaku said. "I hope you're Lord Jukai. My name is Yosaku, and I have a message for him from Hyakkimaru in Hino Village."
"I'm Jukai," he said. "Show me this message."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 119 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>> Jukai invited Yosaku into the temple's repaired main hall, then unfurled the message and read it. <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo stayed at Jukai's side, looking back and forth between him and Yosaku. He was still wary of this stranger.<</if>>
Jukai's expression softened in relief as he read about Hyakkimaru's experiences on Mount Monju. Hyakkimaru's psychokinetic energy was restored. Manjushri had revealed himself. All of that was good news.
But when Jukai read the next part of Hyakkimaru's message, he frowned severely.
<<if $dororo_party is false>>"What's wrong?" Dororo asked. "Did something happen to aniki?"<</if>>
"Hyakkimaru is fighting an onryō," Jukai said. <<if $dororo_party is false>>He explained the message to Dororo as best he could. At the end of the explanation, Dororo nodded.
"But he got his powers back on Mount Monju, right? There's no way he'll lose to something like that."
"Perhaps," Jukai said, "but the Hall of Hell demons are always tracking him and lying in wait. They might be using this onryō to lure him into a trap."
Yosaku overheard their conversation. He appeared stunned. Hyakkimaru hadn't told him much, but it seemed that Hyakkimaru really did have experience fighting demons.<</if>>
"Did you teach Hyakkimaru how to fight, Lord Jukai?" Yosaku asked. "Would you go back to the village with me and help us defend it? The message must ask for your help, right?"
Jukai scanned through the rest of the message. "It doesn't," he said.
"What?!" Yosaku's mouth fell open in disbelief.
"Hyakkimaru never runs from a fight," Jukai said. "He's determined to fight his demon without my help."
Yosaku kept staring at Jukai. <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo snorted.<</if>>
"Why send a message, then, if he wants to fight by himself?"
"He thinks that the only way to protect the village is by using concentrated weapons of fire—bombs and explosives, basically."
"Bombs? Explosives? Don't those come from China?" Yosaku looked confused, though he lived close enough to the Sea of Japan to know that pirates and the shogunate traded with China for gunpowder all the time. It wasn't too difficult to make, but required saltpeter.
Hyakkimaru didn't ask for help fighting in his message, but Jukai felt the urgent need to be at his side before he went to battle the demon.
<<if $dororo_party is false>>"Dororo," he said. "Protect the temple while I'm gone."
"No," Dororo said flatly. "If you're going, then so am I."
"You're not," Jukai said harshly. "This is a demon that has the accumulated rage of all the locusts on that mountain as well as the cursed energy of an onryō. It's too dangerous."
"Locusts?" Dororo asked. "They're bugs. We can crush them all. I haven't been able to do anything for aniki for all this time. Let me help. I know what's needed to make gunpowder, too."
Jukai frowned at Dororo, who planted his feet directly in front of Jukai. Dororo extended his arms in front of him in supplication and said, "I'll never ask you for anything else in my life, Jukai. Let me go with you." There were tears in his eyes.
Some of the children were playing around the temple. When they saw Dororo, they rushed up to ask him what was wrong, but he didn't answer.
<center><<button[[Dororo is allowed to go.->Kind Path 120 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Dororo is not allowed to go.->Kind Path 126 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<center><<button[[Jukai goes to help Hyakkimaru.->Kind Path 127 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Jukai sends help through Yosaku, but doesn't go himself.->Kind Path 121 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>"You don't have to be quite so dramatic." Jukai's eyes crinkled at the corners; he was looking at Dororo like a loving but exasperated parent. "Hyakkimaru sent Yosaku in secret. I have to assume that this is some kind of emergency. He asked me not to come, but he needs all the help he can get."
Dororo lifted his head. "So that means... I can go?"
"You can," Jukai said. He had a hard time denying Dororo anything. He would stay to protect the temple, but there was no reason why Dororo couldn't return to Hino Village with Yosaku. Besides, Hyakkimaru had made another request of him in his letter, and that was something only Jukai could do.
Dororo composed his features and went back to playing with the children, though he was unusually quiet for the rest of the day. He was relieved that he'd gotten what he wanted.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 121 - Army of Locusts]]>><<set $dororo_party to true>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai started searching for components to make gunpowder along the riverbank <<if $dororo_party is false>>with Dororo's assistance<</if>>. Saltpeter, coal and sulfur were needed. Jukai gathered wormseed and leaves from pagoda trees to replenish his medical supplies. Before long, he<<if $dororo_party is false>>and Dororo<</if>>had more than enough materials to start making gunpowder.
When his gathering and preparations were done, Jukai passed his letter for Hyakkimaru to <<if $dororo_party is false>>Yosaku<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo<</if>>.
"Remember, now," Jukai said. "You must tell him not to waste his life foolishly. It doesn't belong only to him, no matter what he thinks."
"I'll remember,"<<if $dororo_party is false>>Yosaku<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo<</if>> said.
Jukai called out to Yosaku. "By next year, there won't be a single locust left on that mountain," he said. "I swear it."
"Really?" Yosaku asked.
Jukai had learned to make medicine and gunpowder in China; he was also well-versed in making insecticides of various types. He had learned most of what he knew in that regard from Gōshō, the Chinese physician that he'd apprenticed under for many years.
Jukai knew of many insecticidal plants that grew on Mount Kurama, as did Hyakkimaru; he had learned all about them from Jukai while he was growing up. Stemona, chickweed, and shrubby sophora were the most common in this area, but they were by no means the only options at Jukai's disposal. He placed the gunpowder and insecticidal herbs in Yosaku's saddlebags and helped him <<if $dororo_party is false>>and Dororo<</if>> prepare for departure.
<<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo changed out of his usual attire and wore a long-sleeved kimono like most farmers did. He concealed his darts and blowgun inside one of the sleeves.<</if>>
Jukai saw off <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and<</if>> Yosaku's horse, then climbed the hill above the temple and prayed once more for Hyakkimaru's safety while facing the far-off Mount Monju.
Jukai had become a doctor to alleviate human suffering. By borrowing the wisdom of the gods and the teachings of doctors and physicians, people could live better lives despite the hardships they were forced to endure. Why else had Jukai taught Hyakkimaru how to awaken his psychokinetic potential, or given him eyes and ears?
Why had his family thrown him away? What purpose could that have served? And even if they had a reason, can Hyakkimaru ever forgive them?
Conflicts were swirling around Hyakkimaru. Jukai hoped that he wouldn't be sucked into anything fatal. In Hyakkimaru's eyes, Daigo Kagemitsu and the demons that hunted him were one and the same.
<i>But his parents must have loved him. They must have.</i>
Jukai didn't often wonder if it was wrong to have raised Hyakkimaru the way he had, but now he did. He could never have simply abandoned him, but if the result of his long and patient care was that Hyakkimaru would hunt down and kill or punish his birth parents...
Jukai would always love Hyakkimaru, but he wasn't sure that his son was on the right path.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 122 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>> On the same day <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true>>Jukai and<</if>> Yosaku left the ruined temple, Hyakkimaru visited Tōshichirō, the leader of Hino Village in the evening. The moonlight shone on the harvested rice fields as he walked toward Tōshichirō's large estate. A cold wind blew through the silvered, withering grass from the northwest. Hyakkimaru picked up the pace to keep himself warm.
A great black shadow emerged from the forest and passed over Hyakkimaru's head. It was large and amorphous: not like any animal or insect he'd ever seen before. Hyakkimaru drew his Muramasa sword and prepared to face the shadow.
Countless thin white threads emerged from the shadow and shot toward Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru cut through most of them before they could reach him, but many found their mark; both he and the Muramasa sword were caught in the sticky white threads. Hyakkimaru tried to move and cut more of the threads, but they hardened to the point where they couldn't be cut. Hyakkimaru struggled desperately to get free, but he only lost his balance and fell.
Hyakkimaru focused his psychokinetic energy, but the shadow engulfed him before he could even attempt to do anything with it.
Surrounded by darkness, Hyakkimaru tried to roll, but he couldn't move. He couldn't even draw in breath. Hyakkimaru forced himself not to panic and tried only to breathe: nothing else. He felt air fill his lungs and relaxed his shoulders in relief.
The effort of breathing left him exhausted. He understood that he'd lose consciousness soon no matter what he did...unless...
"On abira un kashal..."
Darkness spread across Hyakkimaru's vision.
Then, there was an deafening boom followed by a wild spray of fire into the dark mass. The darkness dissipated. Just before Hyakkimaru passed out, he heard a familiar voice that he couldn't quite identify. He cried out, and the world went dark.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 123 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.</i>
Hyakkimaru laughed at her.
The woman looked confused. "Why are you laughing?"
Hyakkimaru drew the short sword at his hip and swiped at her. She cried out and took a huge step back.
"What are you doing?" she shrieked.
"You're a demon," Hyakkimaru said. "I wasn't sure at first, but now I know."
The woman composed herself, then smiled. Her lips split at the edges and widened, revealing an enormous mouth full of sharp teeth. Her high-pitched laugh was almost a giggle.
The woman's beautiful exterior melted away as she leaped at him. Her hair sharpened to points that attacked him like blades as she smiled her evil smile.
<i>Hyakkimaru and the demon woman do battle. Since Hyakkimaru is alone, the battle calculation is as follows:
(Hyakkimaru 's Attack Power + Hyakkimaru's Defensive Power) x Hyakkimaru's Luck x 1d6 (a random number between 1 and 6) + Experience Points + Hyakkimaru's Psychokinetic Power</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Demon Woman - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Demon Woman - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Kind Path 23 - Blood Moon]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Kind Path 24 - Dead End]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</center><<audio ":all" stop>><<audio daydream play>>Hyakkimaru accompanied the woman down the mountain, eager to meet his birth father for the first time.
"How did you even find me, though?" Hyakkimaru asked as he and the woman who claimed to be his mother walked down the trail.
She chuckled mirthlessly. "We demons can always find you." She unfurled a fan tipped with iron knives and slashed out, cutting Hyakkimaru's throat.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited20 is false>><<set $visited20 to true>><<set $trusting to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-30.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Trusting <br> for going off alone with a stranger.</i></center>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>>Hyakkimaru tried to do as Semimaru had said, but he lost his footing and fell after his first attempt.
Semimaru laughed. "I can't do it, either. But I expect you'll be able to, one day. You may not believe me, but you have a power that I don't possess. That is the power to use your psychokinesis to challenge the demons on their own ground. When your psychokinetic energy is fully restored, you will be able to do it."
Hyakkimaru finally understood Semimaru. He'd wanted to show Hyakkimaru that his powers could be restored instead of just saying so, but he wouldn't be able to fight the demons until he made his pilgrimage to Mount Monju. He could see the mountain in the distance, some way to the east.
<center>Add 10 points to Hyakkimaru's psychokinesis.</center>
<<set $psycho_power=$psycho_power+10>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 38 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru scoffed. Stabbing the stars wouldn't do anything. He wouldn't be able to fight the demons until he made his pilgrimage to Mount Monju. He could see the mountain in the distance, some way to the east.
<<set $skeptic to true>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 38 - Journey to Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru also prayed while standing near the spring, then drank exactly as Tokukyōbō had done. "It's wonderful," he said reflexively, though it was likely that any cold water would be wonderful after his long hike. He was sweating and overheated. The water from the spring was blissfully cool.
The temple was dedicated to a manifestation of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Many other statues and iconography for gods other than Manjushri were also gathered in the temple. Now that Hyakkimaru had traveled most of the way up the mountain, the main temple was very close. This temple was built somewhat precariously on the very top of Mount Monju on a narrow ledge. Only those who were truly devoted to Manjushri traveled all the way to the summit of the mountain.
Tokuyūbō led Hyakkimaru the rest of the way to the main temple, then slid open the doors for him. The statue of Manjushri inside was enormous. He held a sword in his right hand and a scroll proclaiming wisdom in his left. The eyes of the statue seemed to move as if they were alive.
Looking at the statue, Hyakkimaru heard Mio's voice inside his mind. <i>I'll always be with you. I'm sure Manjushri will heed your prayer and protect you.</i> For the briefest of moments, the statue's face looked like Mio's.
<<if $root_chakra is false>><img src="Images/BodyPart2.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Hyakkimaru's Muladhara (Root Chakra, #1) at Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $root_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 42 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru sprinted after Takumaru before he was completely lost from view, following the hawk until the forest became so dense that it was hard to make progress. When Takumaru flew through a narrow gap between two trees, Hyakkimaru sucked in a breath, then stumbled through the gap.
On the other side, there was an open clearing that appeared to be man-made, though no one had been there for quite some time. <i>Why would Takumaru lead me here?</i> he wondered.
Takumaru was flying in circles above him again. Hyakkimaru glanced up and watched as a single feather fell from Takumaru's tail and floated to the ground.
It was almost completely dark now, but Hyakkimaru could see several large stones in the clearing. At first he thought that they were randomly placed, but when he counted the distance between them with his steps, he realized that they were all exactly the same distance apart. Someone must have placed them here. The place where Takumaru had led him was directly in the center of a circle of stones.
Hyakkimaru remembered what Tokuyūbō had told him about the temple's rock garden. Mount Monju was a place of great spiritual power. The stones in the rock garden had been arrayed according to the cosmic dual forces, yin and yang, and the five elements.
Takumaru's feather landed on top of one of the stones. Hyakkimaru stared at it and lost all track of time. The moon came out and bathed the stones in white light that gave the clearing an ethereal, otherworldly beauty.
By the time Hyakkimaru returned to the hermitage that night, he had already nicknamed the place Takumaru's Clearing. He decided to do all of his meditation and prayer there from then on.
<<if $sacral_chakra is false>><img src="Images/BodyPart4.png">
<center><i>You have recovered Hyakkimaru's Svadhistana (Sacral Chakra, #2) at Mount Monju. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $sacral_chakra to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>><</if>>
<<if $skeptic is false>><center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 46 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $skeptic is true>><center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 49 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
Hyakkimaru said farewell to Mio and Sakuzo the next morning. Jukai was unpacking supplies, but Dororo stuck to him like glue.
"You should get a head start," Jukai said. "You can let me know if you run into any trouble. Couriers deliver letters in this area all the time. I'll follow after you in a week or so if I don't hear anything."
"Thanks," Hyakkimaru said.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru goes on his journey alone.->Kind Path 112 - Army of Locusts]]>><<set $dororo_party to false>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru brings Dororo along.->Kind Path 112 - Army of Locusts]]>><<set $dororo_party to true>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>> <<if $dororo_party is true>>"Aniki! Hey! Wake up!" Dororo had arrived just in time to see Hyakkimaru being attacked by the giant shadow.<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true>>Jukai <<if $dororo_party is true>>and Dororo<</if>> had rushed to his aid.<</if>>
"Let's get him to the village leader for treatment," Yosaku said. He lifted Hyakkimaru up, flinging his limp arm over his own shoulder.
"Wait,"<<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>> Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is false>> Dororo<</if>> said. "Is he... glowing?"
Hyakkimaru's kimono caught and held the moonlight like some kind of beacon.
Yosaku screamed and dropped him. <<if $jukai_party is false>>"They're moth scales," he said. "They're poisonous!"<</if>>
<<if $jukai_party is true>>"They're moth scales," Jukai said. "They're poisonous!"<</if>>
<<if $dororo_party is true>> Dororo<</if>><<if $dororo_party is false>> Yosaku<</if>> gathered up the withered silver zebra grass in the field around them and used a huge clump of it to clear off the moth scales and sticky thread without touching Hyakkimaru's kimono with his bare hands.<<if $jukai_party is true>>Jukai assisted him with lengths of good thick cloth from his pack.<</if>>
Yosaku <<if $jukai_party is false>>and Dororo <</if>><<if $jukai_party is true>>, Dororo and Jukai <</if>> carried Hyakkimaru toward the village leader's estate. He was still unconscious. <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true>>Yosaku<</if>> slipped an antidote pill into his mouth and made him swallow it.<<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>"Lord Jukai said this was the best medicine for poison," Yosaku said.<</if>>
Jukai had prepared many antidotes before <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true>>he and<</if>> Yosaku had left the ruined temple. <<if $dororo_party is true>>Dororo also knew how to make several, since he'd learned how on Mount Kurama. Septicweed, burnet, bugbane, and wormseed could all be used in creating antidotes. Jukai had also taught Dororo how to mix ingredients together and bind them with flax so that they could be easily ingested.<</if>>
Hyakkimaru remained unconscious for five days. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo remained beside him the entire time, sleepless and vigilant. <</if>><<if $dororo_party is false and $jukai_party is true>>Jukai remained beside him the entire time, sleepless and vigilant. <</if>>><<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is true>>Dororo and Jukai remained beside him the entire time, sleepless and vigilant. <</if>>Every night, the villagers went up the mountain with torches and burned every moth, cocoon and egg that they could find.
On the morning of the fifth day, Hyakkimaru saw sunlight under his eyelids. He felt like he was drifting, floating... was there a river? When he opened his eyes, his entire life flashed through his memory: being raised by Jukai and Sakuzō, meeting the beautiful princess on Mount Kurama, struggling in pain as he learned to move and see and hear. He also remembered the terrible pain of his limbs being ripped from him; a samurai's cruel laughter echoed in his mind.
"Aniki!" Dororo said. He was crying.
"Dororo?" His voice was hoarse from long disuse. He had slept for five long days, but Jukai's antidote had been effective; he was alive. He felt weak and sick still, so he would have to take some time to recover.
<<if $jukai_party is true>>"Rest now," Jukai said. "You've had quite the ordeal."<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 124 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>> Hyakkimaru could sit up and speak easily in two days, and move around on his own in three. He was almost completely recovered from poisonous attack. The villagers speculated about what Hyakkimaru had encountered. They seemed to think that the surviving locusts from the mountain had gathered together in a huge mass to avenge their burned and slaughtered species.
But Hyakkimaru shook his head. "Insects don't behave that way. Whatever attacked me was motivated by an onryō—a spirit of rage. If I had to guess, that spirit comes from the accumulated grief and anger of the locusts that were burned."
<<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo raised an eyebrow. "Is that priestess lady possessed by the spirit?"<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai raised an eyebrow. "So you believe the priestess is possessed by the spirit."<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai raised an eyebrow. "So you believe the priestess is possessed by the spirit."<</if>>
"I thought so from the beginning," Hyakkimaru said, "but now, I'm sure." He closed his eyes, still exhausted.
While Hyakkimaru slept, <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> had Yosaku take him to the estate of the village's priestess. It was high noon and the sun was blindingly bright, but this did nothing to enliven the silent estate. It was like there was no one living there at all.
"Hide in that bamboo grove and keep your eyes open," <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> said to Yosaku. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>I don't know what to expect, but this place gives me the creeps." <</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>"I don't know what to expect, but this place has an aura of great evil." <</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>"I don't know what to expect, but this place has an aura of great evil." <</if>>
Yosaku vanished into the bamboo grove, leaving <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> to explore the rest of the estate alone. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> slid open the rear entrance silently and slipped down a dark hallway, stopping at a corner when he realized he could barely see. All of the windows were either shuttered or had their bamboo blinds pulled down and drawn shut.
<<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is true>>
<i>This place is is the lair of a demon,</i> Jukai thought.
<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>
<i>This is definitely a monster lair,</i> Dororo thought.
<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>
<i>This place is is the lair of a demon,</i> Jukai thought.
<</if>>
<<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> explored the estate for more than half an hour, but he saw no signs of life. He had come here to find some clue about what <<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>he and Hyakkimaru <</if>> <<if $jukai_party is false and $dororo_party is true>>he and Hyakkimaru <</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>he, Dororo and Hyakkimaru<</if>> were actually up against.
Hyakkimaru was still recovering, so he couldn't come here as backup. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> had no one to rely on now except himself—and maybe the villagers. <<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>And Dororo, of course.<</if>>If the villagers did nothing in their own defense, they would suffer and starve.
One of Lady Mai's shrine maidens started walking down the hallway at just that moment. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai <</if>> saw her, but she made no sound whatsoever as she moved. She was only twelve or thirteen years old and had an entirely innocent expression.
The shrine maiden realized there was someone there and stopped. <if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo rushed at her, throwing a cloth sack directly at her chest. The contents of the bag spilled out; the impact was great enough to make the girl lose her balance.
The bag was full of insecticide. Dororo used it as a distraction and sprinted down the hallway, but he stopped when he heard the shrine maiden cry out in pain. She writhed on the ground, groaning in agony as her face sprouted antennae and transmogrified into a giant locust's. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo was paralyzed by fear. He backed into the wall, dislodging one of the blinds over the windows and letting in sunlight. The shrine-maiden-turned-insect screamed even more at that.He mastered his fear and his shock and prepared to flee.
But when Dororo reached the back door of the house, Lady Mai was waiting for him.
"So you're his friend, huh?" Mai asked.
Dororo's eyes darted back and forth, looking for an escape, but there was none.
"Foolish child," Mai said with a sigh. "There's no running for you now."
Dororo laughed bravely. "Oh, I've heard of you! People in the village call you f alse priestess 'cuz you refused to help with the Fire Festival. Well, I can see that the rumors are true."
A smart mouth was, perhaps, Dororo's best quality.
"Take that back," Mai snarled in rage.
Sweat beaded on Dororo's forehead. He released a dart from his blowgun straight into Mai's heart.
Mai dodged quickly, then pressed the point of a dagger against Dororo's back. "Come, brat," Mai said. She dragged Dororo into an interior room and bound him hand and foot, then carried him to the lowest level of the estate beneath the shrine. The rooms there were dusty and rarely used. Mai rolled Dororo inside the basement room and shut the door, leaving him alone.
Dororo wasn't frightened. <i>It's just a musty old room. No people or demons have been here for a while…I should try to get some light in here. That might scare the monsters off.</i>
"You're in trouble now," Dororo said.
Mai's delicate eyebrows rose. "Big talk to someone who can erase your existence so cleanly that no one will ever know where you went."
"I'll get in the way all I want," Dororo said. "Besides, you can't kill me. I'm a valuable hostage against Hyakkimaru." He winced when he said this, but it was very likely true.
Mai's sharp-edged laughter sent shivers up Dororo's spine.<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai had sensed a demonic presence from the girl and wasn't in the least surprised when she started transforming into a giant locust. He ran down the hall and out of the building, dropping trails of strong insecticide as he went.
When Jukai got outside, he said a brief prayer of thanks to his dead master, then spread his palm wide and shot an enormous glob of fire at the shrine.
The screams from inside all belonged to demons.
Sweating from exertion, Jukai took a few steps back and waited for any stragglers that might emerge.<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Jukai had sensed a demonic presence from the girl and wasn't in the least surprised when she started transforming into a giant locust. He ran down the hall and out of the building, dropping trails of strong insecticide as he went.
When Jukai got outside, he said a brief prayer of thanks to his dead master, then spread his palm wide and shot an enormous glob of fire at the shrine.
The screams from inside all belonged to demons.
Sweating from exertion, Jukai took a few steps back and waited for any stragglers that might emerge.<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 125 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>> Hyakkimaru awoke flat on his back on the floor. He felt a bit drowsy, but no longer weak. He looked around the room, expecting to see <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>>, but no one was there. He heard Yosaku cry out somewhere in front of him and sat up.
"I saw it!" Yosaku shouted. He must have called all the villagers together to tell them what at happened at Mai's estate. "The shrine maidens are all monsters, and so is Lady Mai. They must be possessed by the vengeful spirits of all the locusts we've killed."
"Then we'll kill them, too," a man said.
"Exterminate them all!"
<<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>"Dororo was captured," Yosaku said. "They've probably killed him." <</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>"Lord Jukai hasn't returned yet. I hope he's all right."<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>"Lord Jukai hasn't returned yet. I hope he's all right."<</if>>
Hyakkimaru was on his feet before he could blink, demon-killing sword held tightly in his hand.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 128 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center>"Hall of Hell demon," Mai said, "show yourself. Lend me the power to wreak vengeance upon the world. I don't care how many people you kill; I only want my revenge."
A door leading into the hallway opened, revealing Hyakkimaru. He leveled his sword at Mai. She had given herself over to the Hall of Hell demons. He had no choice but to kill her. Before his eyes, Mai's own spirit was driven out of her body and was replaced by the ravening Hall of Hell demon. Her mouth twisted, warped, then split open so that it covered her entire face. Laughter spilled from her throat in a voice that was not her own.
Her body continued to change, transmogrifying into that of a giant locust with two antennae and large black wings. She looked exactly like an enraged locust, only on a much larger scale.
Hyakkimaru removed Takumaru's feather from his hair and tossed it at Mai. At the same time, Mai released white, sticky threads to envelop Hyakkimaru, but they swirled around the feather instead, engulfing it in spirals like a whirlpool. Mai hissed and fled upstairs with Hyakkimaru running fast behind her.
Mai finally stopped fleeing when she reached the altar of her shrine<<if $jukai_party is true>>, which was on fire and burning rapidly.<</if>> She faced Hyakkimaru, then changed into a looming black cloud—the same cloud that had poisoned him before. Hyakkimaru retreated to avoid the cloud, ducking and dodging and rolling to avoid it, but it eventually backed him into a corner where there was no escape.
By good luck, there was a paper lantern at Hyakkimaru's feet giving off dim illumination. He picked it up and used it to drive the cloud back; it shrank away from him and flew toward the <<if $jukai_party is true>>burning shrine again.<</if>><<if $jukai_party is false>>Hyakkimaru followed, then lit the altar of the shrine on fire with the lantern. Red-orange flames engulfed it in an instant; the swallowtail butterfly chrysalis that was the sacred object of the shrine burned to ash in mere moments.<</if>>
Hyakkimaru got to his knees with the demon-killing sword gripped in his left fist. "On abira un kashal…" He gathered all of his psychokinetic energy and sent it through the sword at Mai. <<if $skeptic is false>>His energy lit the darkness, leaving behind seven dots of pale light that rose through the ceiling and disappeared.Mai's demonic body was surrounded by white fire. She darted and flew and tried to escape it, but it followed her wherever she moved. She was dead in moments. Her body vanished as if it had never existed.
The shrine and the surrounding outbuildings were burning all around him.<</if>><<if $skeptic is true>>Mai fled, seeming untouched by the demon-killing blade. Hyakkimaru followed after her, but she flew away before he could catch her.<<if $jukai_party is true and $skeptic is true>> Before he could catch up, Jukai cut off Mai's escape and engulfed her in flames that he shot out of his palm. She was dead in moments. Her body vanished as if it had never existed.<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 129 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<if $jukai_party is true>>Hyakkimaru approached Jukai with a wave and a slight frown. "I thought I asked you not to come."
Jukai shrugged. "I thought you might need my help. Was I wrong?"
Hyakkimaru glanced back at the burning shrine. "I guess I should never refuse help when it's offered.
"A wise policy. I still sense demons. Are you ready for what's next?"
Hyakkimaru nodded.
<</if>>
Hyakkimaru removed Takumaru's feather from his hair and threw it straight up. It soared high into the sky, then plunged into the water. The water shifted and moved around the feather like a living thing. In the distance, Hyakkimaru saw a dark cloud move across the moon. A demon's wicked face appeared within the cloud, sneering and laughing. The laugh echoed in the surrounding stillness.
The demon's laugh cut off abruptly as the cloud settled over Hyakkimaru. He was ready for the demon's attack: his sword was drawn and his psychokinetic energy was focused. He could see the energy moving around him, like leaping sparks. For perhaps the first time ever, Hyakkimaru was able to face a Hall of Hell demon on its own ground.
"If you're here," Hyakkimaru spat, "then Daigo Kagemitsu must be close."
This wasn't the first time the Hall of Hell demons had used other demons to attack Hyakkimaru during his journey. One had pounced on him the moment he'd decided to travel north. He expected to encounter more Hall of Hell demons as he got closer to finding his birth father. If he managed to defeat this one, he might even discover Daigo Kagemitsu's current location.
The demon gave him a disturbing smile. "Don't act like we owe you an explanation for anything."
"Let's end this now," Hyakkimaru said.
The demon opened its eyes wide and shot two bolts of lightning at Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru deflected them both with the demon killing sword.
"That is an irritating trick," the demon grumbled.
Hyakkimaru hadn't expected deflection to work. He had done much the same thing on Mount Monju. He had to rely on Manjushri's protection for this battle.
The demon's laugh reverberated through the air as more demons materialized in the dark cloud and fell to earth. The demons surrounded Hyakkimaru, then started closing the distance. The demons were armed variously with a spear, a naginata, an iron bo staff, a broadaxe, a bamboo rake, a scythe, and a sickle and chain. They were the same size and shape as Deva Kings, brawny and nearly twice as tall as Hyakkimaru.
Including the demon in the sky, Hyakkimaru<<if $jukai_party is true>> and Jukai<</if>> had eight opponents.
The demon with the sickle and chain moved first, sending an enormous iron ball flying at Hyakkimaru's head. Hyakkimaru saw it and managed to dodge narrowly, but he lost his balance. He skittered from his boat to the half-sunken raft mere moments before the boat was sunk by the iron ball. He regained his footing in the middle of the raft and considered. If he didn't find some way to fight all seven demons at once, then he would certainly lose. He could deflect or avoid their attacks for a while, but the effort would exhaust both his body and his psychokinesis.
<<if $dororo_party is true>>"Dororo,"<</if>><<if dororo_party is false>>"Yosaku,"<</if>> he shouted into the darkness, "do it now!"
Hyakkimaru and <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Yosaku<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>>hadn't planned this, but <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Yosaku<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>> guessed his intention correctly. <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Yosaku<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>>, Yosaku and all the other villagers threw their bombs along the edges of the raft. The instant the bombs exploded, Hyakkimaru leaped into the air, using the shockwave to vault himself upward. He pierced each of the seven stars surrounding the North Star that Semimaru had taught him about in rapid succession, making the demon killing sword glow with an interior light. While still in the air, he threw the demon killing sword at his enemies, one by one and moving fast.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 130 - Army of Locusts]]>><</button>></center><<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>> and the villagers looked speechlessly up at the sky. It looked like the demon had been defeated, but was it really gone? They had seen all eight demons dissipate and vanish with their own eyes, but it was hard to believe what had just happened.
There were forty-eight demons in the Hall of Hell. If Hyakkimaru really had just defeated eight of them, then there were still so very many left to go. That was the last thought Hyakkimaru had before he lost consciousness.
<img src="Images/BodyPart12.png"><<audio win play>>
<center><i>You have recovered your trapezius muscles. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $trapezius_muscles to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart13.png">
<center><i>You have recovered your abdominal muscles. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $abdominal_muscles to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart15.png">
<center><i>You have recovered your lateral muscles. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $lateral_muscles to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart17.png">
<center><i>You have recovered your tonsils. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $tonsils to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart14.png">
<center><i>You have recovered your kidneys. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $right_kidney to true>><<set $left_kidney to true>><<set $whole to $whole+2>>
<img src="Images/BodyPart16.png">
<center><i>You have recovered your ribs. They will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $right_ribs to true>><<set $left_ribs to true>><<set $whole to $whole+2>>
<center><<button[[Return to Mio's Temple for healing.->Kind Path 132 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center><<set $jukai_party to true>><<set $dororo_party to true>>It took several weeks for Hyakkimaru to recover from his ordeal and get used to his new body parts. At the beginning of April, Hyakkimaru, Jukai and Dororo finally finished their preparations and left the Mio's Temple. There was still some snow in the mountains, but the plum tree blossoms would soon be opening. Sakuzō accompanied them to the foot of the mountain and saw them off. Their packs were full to bursting, but they had no horse; all of their supplies were on their backs.
Jukai carried a sword at his side, just like Hyakkimaru did. He was responsible for carrying all the medical supplies and tools. People who passed them by would probably think they were a traveling merchant family.
They took the road north from the temple, then chose an off-road path that cut through the mountains in the direction of Kaga Province’s southern pine forest. There were a lot of fortresses and castles on the border between provinces.
Hyakkimaru, Dororo and Jukai had no desire to get caught up in the fighting, so they avoided roads and other people as much as possible.
The Iō Temple was nestled in the heart of the mountain they were cutting across. The temple was devoted to Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha to cure all ills. The area was known for the healing powers of its hot springs.
Hyakkimaru, Dororo and Jukai stayed well off the main road. When they passed by Iō Temple on their way to the fortress, a poor boy tugged at Jukai’s sleeve. “Mister, are you a traveling doctor? Give me medicine.”
The boy’s tone was rude, but his desire for medicine seemed sincere. Jukai smiled and faced the boy. “Is someone sick?” he asked.
A young woman who looked like a farmer’s wife rushed up the path toward the boy. She grabbed the boy’s hand and pulled him toward her.
“Yata, don’t be rude,” she said. “Apologize to the nice man.”
Yata bowed his head after his mother finished scolding him.
Jukai kept smiling. “It’s all right. He wasn’t rude, really. I am a traveling doctor and I sell medicine, so if anyone is sick, I’m eager to help them.”
“What? You’re really a doctor?” Yata asked, looking at Jukai with newfound respect. “We came to see the great Buddha because my dad is sick. Will you help him?”
“Now, that’s going too far,” Yata’s mother said, hands on hips.
“There’s no need to scold him,” Jukai said. “He’s just concerned about his father. May I ask what’s wrong with your husband?”
The woman frowned. “He started complaining about his stomach hurting a few days ago. We’ve come to the temple to pray every day since then, but there’s been no change.”
“Is your home near here?” Jukai asked.
“Yes, at the foot of the mountain.”
“I’m no great Buddha, but I am a doctor and I do have stomach medicine. Please guide me to him.”
The woman’s expression brightened, but then she looked down. “Thank you, sir, but we’re very poor and probably can’t afford your medicine…”
“His illness is more important than payment or politeness,” Jukai said. “It’s my duty to care for the sick. Don’t worry about paying me anything.” He turned around and started heading down the mountain.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo gaped at him in shock, then started chasing after him.
<<if $templevisit3 is false>><center><<button[[Stay at the temple for awhile.->The Ruined Temple]]>><<set $templevisit3 to true>><<set $templevisit1 to false>><<set $templevisit2 to false>><</button>></center><</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue your quest.->Kind Path 133 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>
“Jukai! Wait!” Dororo called out. They were planning to stay at an actual inn tonight; Dororo had been looking forward to it all day.
Jukai ignored Dororo and kept walking until he reached a thatched hut at the foot of the mountain. Yata and his parents lived there in abject poverty. There were many similar cottages nearby, but this one was bare of furniture and necessities. There were hardly any blankets, even. Jukai was concerned that the boy might freeze to death in winter.
Yata’s father was a thin, unshaven man crouched protectively over his own stomach on the bare floor. Jukai gave him a stomach medicine made with sweet flag flowers. His pain was severe, so Jukai opted to remain in the hut until nightfall to monitor his condition.
Yata’s father began the day pale and in pain, but the medicine proved effective. He was able to sit up before evening and his skin tone was improving.
Yata got to his knees at his father’s side. “Dad! Thank goodness. I thought you were going to die.”
Yata’s father clasped his son’s hand firmly. There were tears in his eyes.
The sight was difficult for Hyakkimaru to witness. He felt a tight pain in his chest that wouldn’t go away. The backs of his artificial eyes felt as hot as if he had a fever.
<i>I shouldn’t be jealous of Yata having a father who would cry from worry over him…</i> He looked at Jukai. <i>No. I shouldn’t.</i>
But he was. Yata obviously loved his father—and what was more, Yata’s father obviously loved him, too.
Jukai called over Yata’s mother. “He should be all right now,” Jukai said. “If the pain worsens or returns, give him this medicine.” He passed her a pouch.
The woman clasped her hands together and bowed her head in sincere thanks. “You’re a miracle worker,” she said. “Thank you so much!”
“See, mom? He saved dad!”
Yata and his mother smiled at one another. Dororo looked away. He’d liked Yata better when he was being rude to his mother. Now that they were getting along, he felt a little jealous, too. He was crying, though he didn’t realize it. They were so poor, and the father was so sick, but their family bond was strong. He’d never seen anything like it in the entire world.
“How can I ever thank you?” Yata’s mother asked.
“Simple thanks is more than enough,” Jukai said. “But we were looking for an inn to stay at tonight. Do you know of any that are nearby?”
“You can stay here!” Yata shouted. “I mean, please stay here,” he said more quietly. “I’m still worried about my dad.”
His mother frowned. “This place is so small, and filthy, and—and—”
“We’ll stay,” Dororo said. “Right, Jukai?”
Jukai chuckled. “Sorry. He’s completely shameless. It’s a bad habit.”
“Will you stay, mister?” Yata asked.
<center><<button[[Stay the night.->Kind Path 134 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>Jukai considered for a moment. “Is anyone else sick around here, or injured?”
Yata nodded. “Uncle Itagaki came here for the hot springs. I don’t think he’s feeling well.”
“Itagaki is a lordless samurai,” Yata’s mother said. “He likes Yata, so Yata calls him his uncle.”
Hyakkimaru looked at her, then asked, “Is Itagaki from Kaga?”
“Yes,” she said. “I think he belongs to the Daigo Clan.”
Hyakkimaru and Jukai exchanged glances. If Itagaki was a samurai and not fighting in any of the various wars going on in Kaga and the surrounding provinces, then he must be very ill indeed.
“Is he hurt or sick?” Jukai asked.
“He lost his leg in the war,” Yata said.
“I see,” Jukai said. “Yes, I’ll examine him.”
“I’ll bring him here, Mr. Doctor!” Yata sprang up and was about to run through the door when Jukai asked him to wait.
“Dororo, go with Yata,” Jukai said. “We haven’t had dinner yet. I’m putting you in charge of finding us something tasty.” He handed Dororo several large copper coins.
"Wow! I can buy the whole town with this. Come on, Yata,” Dororo said. His eyes were as round as the coins.
Dororo and Yata dashed out the door. They returned about half an hour later with Itagaki, who was leaning on a thick stick. He lowered his head brusquely after he entered.
“I’m Itagaki Shūsuke,” he said. “I’m grateful to you for seeing me.” He tried to bow, but Jukai reassured him that it was unnecessary.
“I’m a doctor. My name is Jukai. You’ve met Dororo; he and my son travel with me. We heard that you were a member of the Daigo Clan. I won’t charge you for treatment, but I was hoping we might ask you a few questions.”
Itagaki gave Jukai a suspicious look. “What kind of questions?”
“We want to know about the clan,” Jukai said. “Anything you know about them would be helpful.”
“How do you know my family serves the Daigo Clan?” he asked. “I can’t tell you something like that. You could be spies for the Asakura Clan.”
“We’re not, but I understand why you might not believe us. Only tell us what you’re comfortable sharing.”
Itagaki frowned. “The Daigo Clan threw me out on my ass two years ago. I’ve already forgotten all about them."
Jukai offered him a bitter smile. “Well, it was rude of me to ask before treating you, anyway. Let’s have a look at your leg,” he said while rolling up the sleeves of his kimono.
Itagaki had lost his right leg below the knee. “The wound has long since healed, but I can help you walk without a cane, if you like.”
Itagaki laughed, but it was a cruel sound. “The bone is gone. You realize that, right? There’s no way I’ll walk without the cane ever again.”
Jukai was saddened by his cynicism, but he also understood it. “If you doubt me,” he said, “return here tomorrow. I swear you’ll walk home without the cane.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Itagaki got up. “Don’ t concern yourself.” He clearly thought that Jukai was some kind of quack. He limped out of the hut with a bitter expression on his face.
“He had a bad attitude, dad,” Hyakkimaru muttered. “We should have asked him more about the Daigo Clan.”
“We won’t learn anything of value unless I help him,” Jukai said. “He’ll be better disposed to us when he can walk more easily. We can try asking him more questions then.”
“He probably won’t come,” Hyakkimaru said. “He’s too proud. Arrogant, even.”
“He’ll come,” Jukai said. “I saw it in his expression. He’s lost too much not to take the risk that I’m not telling the truth.”
Hyakkimaru knew that Jukai could help Itagaki walk again, but he had more doubts about Jukai’s persuasive powers.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 135 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $jukai_party to true>>After dinner, Jukai took one of his wooden legs out of his pack and started chiseling and then shaving it into a new shape. He covered over the modified limb with parchment, then leather. When it was dark outside and the leg was more or less complete, Yata’s mother said, “There’s a good hot spring not far from here. I can guide you all to it if you’d like a bath.”
“This place is famous for its hot springs, so we’d be fools to pass on such an offer,” Jukai said. “Hyakkimaru, you must be tired from travel. Visiting the hot springs should help you feel refreshed.”
Hyakkimaru stood up and got ready to leave.
“You should go, too, Dororo,” Jukai said. “You need a bath just as badly.”
“I don’t wanna. I hate baths.”
“I can’t even tell what color your skin is anymore, there’s so much dirt. Take a bath,” Jukai commanded.
Jukai and Dororo stared one another down. Dororo refused to give in.
“I have a cold,” Dororo said. “I want to stay inside.”
Seeing that Dororo was determined to be stubborn, Jukai and Hyakkimaru left the hut with Yata’s mother without him. Jukai remembered that Dororo had never bathed with people when he’d lived on Mount Kurama, either, though he had at least bathed regularly then. He must have waited until the middle of the night to wash himself in the river that bordered the estate.
“Dororo’s being weird,” Hyakkimaru muttered.
Jukai said nothing.
The hot spring was nestled in a grove of plum trees under a bright moon. The air was thick with steam and sweet-scented from the plum blossoms. Jukai was looking forward to washing off the sweat of the road, but Hyakkimaru seemed strangely indifferent to the whole experience. Jukai selected one spring; Hyakkimaru chose another one nearby. He sank into the hot water up to his shoulders and looked up at the moon through the clouds.
Hyakkimaru’s prosthetic limbs were waterproof, but he didn’t feel them the same way he felt his own flesh and blood. The sensation of them being buoyed up by the bubbling water was unfamiliar, but the warmth of the spring was deeply relaxing. Was this what it felt like to be held? He looked down at his outstretched arms and was profoundly dissatisfied. His prosthetics could feel no warmth. They were ugly: contraptions of metal and wire and leather that only looked like the real thing if no one looked too closely.
Water gleamed on Hyakkimaru’s metal joints. He felt the hideousness of his own body in a way that he’d rarely felt before. Very few people had ever seen him naked. Jukai, Dororo…and Mio. His birth parents must have seen him when he was born, but of course he had no memory of that.
Hyakkimaru struck the surface of the water violently with both hands. The splash that resulted sent hot water flying in all directions.
The expression on Hyakkimaru’s face twisted into a grimace of hatred. “Daigo Kagemitsu…” Tears fell down his cheeks from the corners of his eyes, mixing with drying sweat before vanishing into the hot spring. He had been born normal and healthy, with all his limbs, organs and senses. Within moments of his birth, all those things had been cruelly ripped away from him.
Jukai and Hyakkimaru returned from the hot springs and went to sleep. Hyakkimaru awoke in the middle of the night with Jukai snoring softly next to him. The place where Dororo had been sleeping before was empty. Hyakkimaru was worried about where he’d gone.
Go back to sleep.
<center><<button[[Go find Dororo.->Kind Path 136 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru left the hut and went looking for Dororo around the hot springs.
From a distance, Hyakkimaru saw Dororo’s back rise up out of the water of a hot spring. <i>I guess he decided to take a bath after all. Why not come with us earlier, then? He’s being weird…</i>
Hyakkimaru smiled. At least dad will be glad that he took a bath.
He was about to go back to the hut without disturbing Dororo when a shaft of moonlight illuminated him fully. Hyakkimaru stopped still and verified what he was seeing before looking away.
“Mio…” When Mio had lived at the temple with the children, Hyakkimaru had seen her bathing in the river once, by accident. Dororo’s nakedness reminded him of hers…because Dororo was also a girl. With Dororo’s hair wet, she and Mio could be mistaken for sisters.
There were faint markings on her back, like a tattoo, but in the low light Hyakkimaru couldn't tell what the markings meant, exactly.
Dororo left the hot spring, then turned around. Hyakkimaru hadn’t noticed how much Dororo had grown since leaving the capital until now. He--no, she--was no longer a child. How old was she now? Twelve? Thirteen? Many girls got married at fourteen.
Dororo stood up straight and started walking toward her clothes--and him. Hyakkimaru held his breath and hid behind a tree before he could be seen. He returned to the hut, heart pounding from running and nerves.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 137 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>
The next morning, Dororo was the same as always: rude, brash, boyish. Hyakkimaru was relieved. She stood over a stewpot in the kitchen and stirred its contents with chopsticks.
“Breakfast time, aniki,” she said. “ We only have wild vegetables, though. Reminds me of Mio when she was at the temple. This was usually all we had.”
“Yeah.”
Getting such a short, vague answer made her look at him strangely. “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
Hyakkimaru smiled slightly and shook his head. “No, there’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“Now I am. You’re weird today.” She pouted, thin-lipped and angry-looking.
Dororo was the same as always, but Hyakkimaru’s perspective of Dororo had changed.
Itagaki returned to the hut a little before noon, as rude as ever. Jukai’s prediction proved true.
Jukai invited Itagaki to sit down in the corner of the hut. Itagaki set aside his cane carefully, then sat down, taking his time. Jukai produced the wooden leg that he ’d spent much of the previous night crafting.
Itagaki was unimpressed by the prosthetic limb. “You think that thing will actually let me walk again?”
Jukai looked at him with a very serious expression. “Yes. It will.” He attached the leg easily, with practiced movements, then asked Itagaki to stand.
Itagaki gave Jukai a sour expression, but he managed to stand on his own. He took one step, then another, and another. They were clumsy steps, but he could walk.
“I... can walk,” Itagaki was dumbstruck. “I can walk without the cane!”
Hyakkimaru saw something he never thought he’ d see: Itagaki smiling in joy. Jukai was quietly satisfied. Yata and his mother were almost as surprised as Itagaki that he could walk again so quickly.
“Wow! You don’t need a cane anymore!” Yata said.
“You’re getting used to it faster than most people,” Jukai said as Itagaki continued walking around the room, step by slow step.
Itagaki pitched forward suddenly. Jukai was alarmed, but Itagaki didn’ t fall. He bowed deeply from the waist with his hands clasped together in an attitude of prayer.
“Please forgive me for being so terribly rude to you,” Itagaki said in a very formal tone. All trace of his previous blunt, uncourteous attitude was gone. He prostrated himself on the floor before Jukai and didn’t move.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo were stunned by this sudden change. Itagaki was so overcome with emotion that he wept openly, grinning from ear to ear.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 138 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center>
“If you’re not the world’s most famous doctor yet, I’ll make sure you are before the year is out,” Itagaki said. “Would you please tell me your name again? I might have to scream it from the rooftops.”
Dororo was used to being the one who made over-exaggerations and grand gestures, and did not like having this role usurped. She frowned, but before she could say anything, Jukai stepped in front of her.
Jukai bowed a little, then extended his hand in front of his face in a self-deprecating gesture. “I fear you give me too much credit. I am simply a traveling doctor who is versed in some healing arts. If you truly wish to thank me, you could tell me a little about the Daigo Clan. Only if you want to, of course.”
“Is that truly all you want? I’ll answer any question you ask.”
This was a complete reversal of the previous day. Itagaki was true to his word and answered all of Jukai’s questions in detail. Hyakkimaru listened raptly, hanging on his every word and memorizing as much as he could.
Before losing his leg, Itagaki Shūsuke had served Lord Daigo Kagemitsu, who currently ruled northern Kaga Province. Itagaki had lost his leg in battle. Samurai lords had no need for a legless swordsman, so Itagaki became a lordless samurai. He had no external means of support after that. He lived near Iō Temple because the hot springs eased the pain of his wounds and drowned himself in drink. His past experiences made him a bitter, cynical man. Yata’s kindness in talking to him and helping him in little ways created a powerful emotional attachment; it was clear that Itagaki thought of Yata as his own son.
“Lord Daigo is currently responsible for protecting Kaga, right?” Hyakkimaru asked. “Does he have children?”
Itagaki had never met Daigo Kagemitsu in person, but he did know a fair amount about him. The Daigo Clan used to serve the Yamana Clan, but their lord had cast them out more than a decade before. They’d traveled through Wakasa and the northern provinces for awhile before settling down in Kaga Province ten years ago. Since then, Kagemitsu had taken on a number of different assignments in different provinces, depending on what his superiors required of him.
“Again, I’ve never met him, but I know him by reputation. I’ve heard he has a wife and son.”
All of the details Itagaki provided matched what Hyakkimaru had learned from the fox demon.
“Only one son?” Hyakkimaru asked. His face felt too warm and his hands were shaking. “Ten years is a long time to go childless.”
“Maybe so, but I’ve only heard of the one.” Itagaki shrugged. “There might be more, but being the oldest, he’s the most active when it comes to helping his father.”
Hyakkimaru didn’t know what to feel. Daigo Kagemitsu had raised another son? One that he hadn’t thrown away?
“Do you know anything about Lord Daigo’s current circumstances?” Jukai asked. He didn’ t expect that Itagaki would reveal much about the internal affairs of Daig Kagemitsu's household, but Jukai was determined to learn as much as they could.
“Not specifics, but really, here is the same as everywhere,” Itagaki said. “Fresh news comes every day and causes constant upsets. We haven’t had peace in Kaga Province for a very long time. If you want to know more, I’d stop at the province’s main Judicial Office.”
Itagaki paused. “Is there something specific that you wish to know?” he asked.
Hyakkimaru and Jukai exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Itagaki chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m a wanderer now, not a warrior, and the clan wouldn’t take me back anyway. I have no interest in spilling your secrets.”
Jukai smiled kindly. “Our questions are in regards to a private matter, I’m afraid. I must ask you to excuse our rudeness. ”
“Don’t apologize to me.” Itagaki’s face lit up as he looked down at his new leg. “I never thought I’d be able to walk again. But now, I can make a living. I think I’ll go from house to house and teach children to read. It’s about time that my own children started learning.”
Both Hyakkimaru and Itagaki had gotten prayers answered at Iō Temple. Itagaki received a new leg, and Hyakkimaru received more news of the Daigo Clan. He was finally getting closer to his goal.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 79]]>><</button>></center>
The next morning, Dororo, Hyakkimaru and Jukai set out early and climbed down into the river valley. The village of lay along the route, but when they reached it at sunset, they saw no sign of man or beast.
<i>Has the village been abandoned?</i> Hyakkimaru thought. He stood at the edge of a deserted rice field and looked around. There was still unharvested rice growing in some places.
There were peasant uprisings going on all over the country, so seeing an empty village wasn't very unusual. Perhaps the villagers had decided to oppose paying land taxes, left their homes and joined together in resistance against tax officials or the shōgun. Disease and starvation were as common as violence and war these days. The common people could choose to stay in their villages and be taxed into oblivion while waiting for a famine or a plague to take their lives, or they could rise up against their oppressors and die that way. It was better to be dead than poor for a common person.
Hyakkimaru. Dororo and Jukai checked the village over thoroughly and encountered no one. One building had a sinister look to it. When Hyakkimaru came closer to it, the wind picked up. Hyakkimaru's nostrils flared at the unpleasant smell carried by the wind. When he looked up, he saw a huge murder of crows perched on the building's roof. More crows sat on the other roofs in the village, staring down at Hyakkimaru as if they were deliberately tracking and spying on his movements.
All at once, the crows took flight from the roofs and sped toward the mountain range to the north, cawing loudly all the while.
Hyakkimaru stood in the doorway of a farmhouse and peeked inside. The floor was an absolute mess; anything of any value had been stolen. His guess at what had happened to the people here seemed to be correct: the corpses of a family were rotting on the floor of their home. Blood had soaked into the floor. There were probably so many crows in the village because of all the corpses to peck at and eat. There were more bodies in other rooms of the house. Hyakkimaru stood as still as a statue, looking down at the dead with an expression that conveyed equal parts rage and pity. Hyakkimaru knew that he shouldn't be surprised at such a sight; he'd seen worse in the capital.
The bodies he saw were fairly decomposed, but he could tell that a man had died shielding a little boy, and that a woman had died with her arms around a young girl. They had chosen to protect their children at the cost of their own lives.
<i>How cruel,</i> Hyakkimaru thought. <i>This is...</i>
Hyakkimaru bowed his head and clasped his hands together in prayer. The backs of his eyes felt hot with unshed tears.
Hyakkimaru looked in all the other buildings in the village and found nothing but more corpses. Even the farmers' dogs had been killed. Many of their bodies lay scattered in the street. Some homes had been burned to the ground. There was nothing left of them but ash.
Hyakkimaru revised his guess as to what had happened here. The people hadn't risen up against their feudal lord. They'd been preyed upon by bandits or an advancing army that had stripped their village of supplies and killed everyone who resisted. Some people from the village might have survived the attack by fleeing. Hyakkimaru doubted that they would ever return. No one would want to live in a village cursed with such tragedy.
Hyakkimaru threw himself down inside an empty house, feeling like he'd fallen into the pit of hell. He felt strongly that he was part of a much larger population of people that were forced to live in this hellish world. There was no safe place to belong anywhere.
He saw the faces of the parents who had died protecting their children in his mind's eye clearly, as if in a dream.
"Maybe they hoped the attackers would spare the children," Jukai said. "Maybe they wanted to run, but missed their chance. Or they decided to risk their lives to defend their home. They must have loved their children, to die that way..."
Hyakkimaru let his tears fall to the floor and made no move to wipe his eyes. The muscles around his heart clenched so strongly that they ached. He thought about the life he could have had if he'd been raised by his birth parents.
"Mother..." he choked out reflexively. Hyakkimaru had never seen her. His mind conjured a kind image of a beautiful woman with a compassionate expression.
"Aniki, are you okay?" Dororo asked.
A demon had shown up at the estate on Mount Kurama, pretending to be his mother. The woman he imagined wasn't like the demon. Her eyes were overflowing with love. His image of her blurred with the demons he'd fought. He felt their cold hatred radiating at him in waves.
<i>Would a kind mother really have tossed me away? Daigo Kagemitsu must have been the one to throw me out. My mother would never... She would have sacrificed herself to save me, if she could. She must have had a reason for letting me go. I want to know the truth.</i>
The image of his mother's face faded, replaced by the image of the unfortunate woman he'd seen clasping her daughter to her chest.
<i>I'm eighteen. I have a younger brother.</i> He wondered where his family was and what they were doing. He felt the pain of terrible separation from them. His loneliness gradually changed to envy.
<i>If not for Daigo Kagemitsu's blind ambition, I might have had a normal life with a loving family. If the land weren't constantly at war, the people in this village might have continued to live in peace.</i>
Hyakkimaru felt terror at the fragility of human happiness.
Hyakkimaru felt all alone, tormented by doubt. The wind wailed through the cracks of the house he sat in while he cried. Jukai and Dororo sat near him, silent, taking in the devastation of the empty, empty village.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 139 - The Demon Horse]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $jukai_party to true>>Late that night, Dororo awoke when he heard a rustling sound outside. He crept out of the house where he was sheltering with Jukai and Hyakkimaru and looked around.
There was a horse grazing by a broken-down well in the center of the village. In the dim moonlight, Dororo saw that it was mostly white, with light-colored eyes and a slightly darker mane and tail. The horse was tall and well-fed, but wore no saddle or tack. A farmer's horse? Were there survivors from the village somewhere close by?
Dororo took a step forward.
The horse turned to face Dororo, snorting. Its pale eyes shone red as its mane caught fire.
"Aniki! Jukai!" Dororo called out for help as he ran back into the house.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 140 - The Demon Horse]]>><</button>></center>"That's a warhorse," Jukai whispered when Dororo was safely inside. The horse's mane was still aflame, but it made no move to attack the house.
"A demon warhorse," Hyakkimaru corrected. "Maybe it's from the battle that wiped out this village?'
"Perhaps, though in that case it would belong to the enemy side. Farmers don't raise warhorses. They take too much to feed."
"Why isn't it attacking? Demons usually attack," Hyakkimaru said.
Jukai hmmed. "Not all demons are created equal. We might try communicating with it first."
"I think we should kill it. It's a demon, right?" Dororo asked.
What does Hyakkimaru do?
<center><<button[[Communicate with the demon warhorse.->Kind Path 142 - The Demon Horse]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Kill the demon warhorse.->Kind Path 141 - The Demon Horse]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru set his sword aside and went outside. Jukai followed behind him, with Dororo staying behind to watch from the house. He wasn't ready to trust any horse that was on fire.
"We're not here to harm you," Jukai said in a soothing voice. "Were you here in the village for the battle? It must have been terrible. How did you escape?"
The horse narrowed its eyes, but came no closer. Its mane and tail were aglow with golden fire.
"I don't think you escaped," Hyakkimaru said. "You died. You're a spirit. Why?"
The horse stomped one hoof and looked to the left.
Jukai walked ahead, shoulders and head down: no threat in him at all. "I see bones," he said. "Horse bones, smaller. A foal." He shook his head. "That explains everything."
"Do you think this horse has a piece of my body?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"I don't know," Jukai said. "My guess is it's a more recent demon than that. She persists because she wants to protect her foal. That's admirable."
The horse snorted again, nodding in agreement.
<i>Even horses have better mothers than me,</i> Hyakkimaru griped internally.
<center><<button[[Continue->Kind 85]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru approached the demon warhorse with his demon-killing sword at the ready. Drawing power from the stars overhead, he aimed his sword at the demon with psychokinesis and speared the horse through the heart.
The horse didn't struggle. It didn't even seem angry. It staggered to the side of the well, bleeding and burning, with old rage and grief shining in its wide-open eyes.
When the flames went out, Hyakkimaru went to retrieve his sword.
The demon horse had collapsed atop a skeleton of a much smaller horse as if it were trying to protect it.
"Her foal," Jukai said. "That was why she was defensive. She was watching over the body of her foal."
Hyakkimaru cleaned his sword with a slight frown. "Well, now I feel kind of bad. Maybe we should have tried communicating with it after all."
"Too late," Dororo said.
"Yeah."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 89]]>><</button>></center>"Should we bury them?" Jukai asked the horse. "Your foal? I know you don't want to leave her here. I wouldn't want to leave my son out in the open like this, either."
Hyakkimaru smiled at Jukai, who smiled back.
The horse stared and stared and stared for what felt like a long time. Then she took a step away from her foal and looked away.
Jukai nodded thoughtfully. "This will need all of us, I think."
He was right. It took Dororo, Hyakkimaru and Jukai all night and part of the next morning to dig a grave large enough for the horse bones. Jukai lifted the bones reverently as he placed them in the grave, then made prayer gestures and recited sutras to put the small horse to rest.
When the horse's bones were covered in earth, Jukai snapped his fingers, causing fresh grass and flowers to spring up all over the grave.
Dororo was awestruck. "I didn't know you could do that."
Jukai grinned. "I've still got a few tricks in me."
Before their eyes, the spirit of a much smaller horse than the warhorse rose out of the flower-covered grave. It looked around and spotted its mother, nickering and running over to the warhorse. Its hooves didn't touch the ground.
The warhorse nuzzled her foal, and her mane and tail became ordinary horsehair again. She reared, then bowed to Jukai.
"I think we made her happy," Dororo said.
"Yeah, I think so," Hyakkimaru said.
<center><<button[[Continue->Kind 86]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo, Jukai and Hyakkimaru prepared to leave the empty village. As they got on the road, Hyakkimaru noticed the warhorse following after them. Her mane was no longer in flames.
"What is it doing?" Dororo asked.
"Maybe it has no other place to go," Jukai said. "We might keep her."
"Keep her? Isn't feeding her expensive?" Dororo asked.
"She can eat grass when we travel, and there's an old stable at Mio's Temple," Jukai said. He looked to Hyakkimaru. "What would you like to do with the horse?"
<center><<button[[Keep her.->Kind 87]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Leave her here.->Kind 187]]>><</button>></center>
"I say we keep her," Hyakkimaru said. "You never know when a horse might come in handy."
"I agree," Jukai said. "Have you thought about what to call her?"
"I don't know," Hyakkimaru said. "Horse, do you have a name?"
The horse bowed her head. In a clear, high voice that even Dororo could hear, she said, "My name is Midoro."
<<if $nose_for_trouble is false>><<set $nose_for_trouble to true>><<audio win play>><img src="Images/Party_Midoro.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - A Nose for Trouble<br>for recruiting Midoro the horse. <br>Horses' noses aren't as good as dogs', but they're infinitely better than human noses.</i></center><<else>><</if>><<set $midoro_party to true>><<set $party to true>>
Midoro can help you track down demons as you're traveling.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 88]]>><</button>></center>
Midoro was content to travel behind Hyakkimaru, Dororo and Jukai for the most part; no one had tried to ride her yet.
They were walking along a forest path when Midoro tensed. She darted away from the path, and there was a terrible whooshing, crashing sound coming from the trees.
"Oh, no," Dororo said. "I knew that reasoning with a flaming demonic warhorse was a terrible idea. No one ever listens to me."
Jukai and Hyakkimaru searched the woods to either side of the path. The crashing sounds grew louder and louder. The whole forest went still from terror. No birds sang and nothing moved in the underbrush.
Then Midoro returned to the forest path, bold as brass, with a misshapen weasel creature in her mouth. She spat it out right on top of Dororo with a smug look of satisfaction.
At roughly the same time, Hyakkimaru collapsed in the trees and coughed up his artificial liver.
Jukai helped Hyakkimaru get back to the path. Hyakkimaru leaned on him, recovering from the pain of organ recovery.
"That horse can smell demons," Jukai said. "It seems she'll be even more useful than we thought."
Dororo cleaned demon gunk off his clothes and glared openly at the horse.
<img src="Images/BodyPart10.png"><<audio win play>>
<center><i>You have recovered your liver. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $liver to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 89]]>><</button>></center>They had found out that Daigo Kagemitsu was commanding Kaga Province, but they didn't know what fortress he was in. Hyakkimaru wanted to head toward Ichijodani to find out. It was a major fortress in the region; anyone stationed there should know where their military commander was.
The roads were heavily guarded, so Hyakkimaru, Dororo and Jukai avoided them as he traveled. Signs of winter were appearing all around the capital; it was bitterly cold. The Rashōmon Gate was in ruins. The area around it was populated by beggars and wanderers. Hyakkimaru tossed a few coins at a beggar's feet and hurried on.
Night came early in winter. At dusk on their first day of travel, someone called out to him: "Stop!"
Hyakkimaru stopped and turned. Two samurai wearing armor walked briskly toward him.
They could run, but they'd be chased. They could also stand and fight, but that would likely be more trouble than it was worth. Jukai and Hyakkimaru exchanged looks, deciding to pretend to be ignorant men from the countryside.
"Excuse me," Hyakkimaru said. "I'm going to visit my relatives in Otokuni. I'm from Mino and lost my way in the dark."
"Hm," one of the men said. "Well, to the guardhouse with you, then."
These two weren't treating them as enemies, but there were a lot more men at the guardhouse. Dororo opened his mouth to say something, shrugged, and let himself be led along with Jukai and Hyakkimaru.
Midoro stayed hidden in the trees, watching them go with red-glowing eyes.
After being poked and prodded by guards for some time, Hyakkimaru said, "I promised my family I'd return in a hurry," Hyakkimaru said. "We were all hoping to be home by tonight."
The commander passed him a wooden tag with letters burned into it. "Show this to the regiment captain," the guardhouse commander said. "If you can get permission from him, you can go home to your family."
Hyakkimaru bowed his head politely as he'd been taught. He left in a hurry, struggling to conceal his impatience at this delay. He wanted to crush the wooden tag into the dirt beneath his heel, but he thought better of it and placed the tag into his breast pocket. Dororo, Jukai and Hyakkimaru slipped away from the guardhouse without being seen, then continued on their way.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 150]]>><</button>></center>By the time they reached Ichijodani, it was full night. A half-moon had risen, bright and high, in the sky. The pagodas of a temple looked black in the moonlight. They stepped onto temple grounds and felt soft ash beneath their feet.
The ruins of a temple complex were just ahead of him. It had been long years since the main temple had burned down, so the area surrounding it was overgrown with underbrush and trees. Withered winter grass blew in the breeze. Autumn leaves fell and piled up on the ground. Moss grew thickly on the trees.
Long, autumn brown willow branches whispered over the ground where the main temple had once stood. It wasn't the rainy season now, but the branches' exaggerated growth made Hyakkimaru think of willow trees in rain.
Hyakkimaru tried to imagine what the main temple had looked like. The image his mind supplied was of Kurama Temple, with its high sloped and gabled roof and Buddhist guardian statues. His imagined image suddenly changed to a temple with a flatter, more polygonal roof. The eight points of Kurama Temple's dark-tiled roof rose into sharp and wicked-looking points.
Hyakkimaru blinked and imagined Kurama Temple again, but the shape of the roof changed the moment that he recalled the image to his mind.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
He'd done nothing to alter his own thoughts, which meant that something else must be influencing them. Fog rose up from the ground and into the sky, obscuring the moon. Hyakkimaru looked around, then took a step back. The ash beneath his feet glowed red, illuminating the fog.
The temple that Hyakkimaru had imagined appeared in front of him, sharp-pronged roof and all. The placard over the wide double doors of the temple read in crisp, clear lettering: Hall of Hell.
"Dad." He reached out to Jukai. "Do you see that?"
"See what?" Dororo asked. "Looks like another temple ruin to me."
The doors of the temple were barred shut. The willow trees around the temple were no longer withered from autumn cold, but fresh and green as if it was the beginning of spring. Midoro galloped over to eat the leaves, giving the temple a distrustful look.
The bar over the doors splintered and fell. The double doors of the temple blew open wide. Strange laughter echoed from the ground.
"There are demons here," Hyakkimaru said. "Show yourselves!"
Hyakkimaru's vision went white as he shouted at the demons' voices. Sharp pain shot through his head. He stumbled and almost fell. He felt like he was eroding at the edges: disappearing into the past where the Hall of Hell was still standing.
"Uh..." Hyakkimaru grunted, then regained his focus. The sensation of disappearing left him, but an unsettling sense of discomfort remained. He saw himself from the outside, like his soul had left his body and was watching over him from above.
He couldn't see Dororo or Jukai anywhere.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 151]]>><</button>></center>
Four candles lit in a vast hall flickered in the evening wind. The light of the candles didn't reach the hall's tall ceiling. The surrounding darkness closed in on the candles as if it wanted to swallow the light.
Forty-eight statues of demons stood inside the hall, feet planted with eyes like angry red embers. Some figures gnashed their teeth; others reached their clawed hands to the heavens in an attitude of reverence or prayer. The statues had the look of devils or rakshasa, man-eating monsters.
The candlelight danced over the faces of the statues and cast their shadows on the walls of the hall.
A lone samurai stood in front of a raised dais directly facing several of the demon statues.
Hyakkimaru couldn't see anything of the samurai except for his back. He wore a black-lacquered pleated hat in the style of those worn by nobles of the Imperial Court. His hakama were long and full and there was a longsword at his hip. His hands were pressed firmly together.
"Forty-eight devils, hear my prayer," the samurai said. "I have ambitions to take the world in my hands and bend it to my will."
Voices murmured underfoot.
The samurai rose and approached the dais, then knelt down and continued to pray.
"If you grant this prayer, I will give you anything."
"Anything?" The voice of a demon echoed in the hall.
"Anything. I swear it. What do you wish of me? Treasure? Money?"
"We have no use for such trivial things," the voice boomed. The four pillars supporting the hall shook.
"Then what do you want?" the samurai asked.
"A life."
"A life?" the samurai asked. "Mine?"
"Your wife will soon give birth to a child. We desire forty-eight pieces of that child's body."
"You want forty-eight pieces of a newborn's body?" the samurai asked, clearly confused.
"That is the only thing we want. We will accept nothing else."
The samurai shook from head to toe. All four candles in the hall flickered out, even though there was no wind.
"All right," the samurai said. "If I am granted the world, I will give that to you."
"Are you lying, Kagemitsu?"
The samurai pressed his face to the floor. "I'm not lying. You have my word."
A thick mist emerged from behind the demon statues before the samurai finished speaking. The mist solidified into a woman's shape, then flew through the air toward the samurai. She wore an elegant kimono patterned with red and yellow flowers.
"Use care in making deals with demons, Kagemitsu," the woman said in a scolding tone. "If you go back on your word, we will destroy you utterly."
"I'll make any promise you devils want if it means I can conquer the world," the samurai said. "And I'll never break it."
The woman laughed. The other demons joined in, shaking the walls and floor of the hall with the force of their laughter.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 152]]>><</button>></center>
The Hall of Hell vanished as Hyakkimaru returned to his senses. There was no sign of the samurai or the demon statues anywhere. The ruins of the burned temple and the red light shining through the fog rising from the ground remained, as did the woman who had formed from the mist inside the Hall of Hell. She stood in the shadow of a willow tree and laughed.
Hyakkimaru broke into a cold sweat. He planted his feet and stood his ground. He didn't know if what he'd just seen was a hallucination or some kind of enchantment caused by the woman.
"Aniki!" Dororo ran up to him. "Jukai said there was something bad happening. He's looking for you in the woods."
"Oh?" The woman turned, facing Dororo and Hyakkimaru.
The woman was familiar, though difficult to place. Hyakkimaru had definitely seen her before.
"Who are you?"
The woman pouted. "I'm hurt that you don't remember. Don't you remember Tanosuke?" She flashed him a cold smile.
"The demon sword guy!" Dororo gasped. "You're his sister!"
"Correct," she said. "I never thought I would have the opportunity to avenge my brother's death.
This demon wasn't the first to masquerade as someone from his past. His anger intensified at the idea of being tricked. "Was any of what I just saw real?" he asked.
"It was the truth of your own past. I showed you because I felt sorry for you." Hyakkimaru had watched the samurai sell him to the demon statues for the sake of advancing his own power. "You poor child..."
The laughter of the demons welled up from the ground and echoed all around Hyakkimaru.
"Don't think that you can ever get your body back." More laughter.
Hyakkimaru gripped his demon-killing sword and screamed. "I won't give up!"
Osushi parted the long, hanging willow leaves. The hem of her kimono dipped into a wastewater container used in tea ceremonies as she rose upward. Pale blue fire sprang from her feet. The willow tree caught fire, branches snapping and crackling in the flames.
Osushi's entire body was engulfed in blue fire. Her dark shadow swayed, suspended in the flames. Her face shifted; the corners of her eyes tilted up like a fox's. Three horns burst through the skin of her forehead. Her mouth stretched from ear to ear. Hyakkimaru saw fangs like a snake's. Long, sharp claws grew from her hands.
Hyakkimaru was so stunned by this transformation that he retreated a few steps without realizing it. "Osushi. You loved your brother. He died because of a demon--why would you choose the same for yourself?" He felt like he was going to be sick.
"Poor child. Didn't you know? All people have the hearts of demons. If you continue to oppose us, you'll wind up just like you were when you were born."
Hyakkimaru pointed his sword at her and glared. "If you know my past, tell me my mother's name."
"I can't tell you that. Poor child, your parents never loved you." She laughed again. The sound lingered in the air like an echo of madness.
Hyakkimaru stood there with his demon sword at the ready, rooted to the spot.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 153]]>><</button>></center>Dororo was frozen still and couldn't move. He wanted to cry out—for Jukai's help, maybe—but no sound came from his mouth.
If the demon woman was afraid of Hyakkimaru's sword, she showed no sign of it.
Hyakkimaru himself was only standing because of his sustaining rage. His thoughts were a roiling mess. The only thing that kept his limbs moving and functional were disciplined habits that he'd formed while cultivating psychokinesis. He was exhausted to his bones, but desperation kept him upright.
Osushi, possessed and transformed by demons, approached him from the side. Her eyes glowed red like hot coals. Red light escaped from her eyes in two beams that converged on Hyakkimaru's left arm. Sparks shot from the prosthetic limb as it dropped to the ground.
Hyakkimaru had been holding the demon-killing sword with his left hand. He quickly bent and retrieved it with his right. He slashed at the demon woman without hesitation, but she disappeared before the sword could touch her.
"Come out!" Hyakkimaru shouted hoarsely.
Osushi appeared in the sky above him, wreathed in blue fire.
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru kills Osushi.->Kind 188]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru tries to save Osushi and exorcise the demon.->Kind 154]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru threw the sword at Osushi as hard as he could. At the same time, he began a prayer to the god of Iwakura Shrine.
The demon-killing sword flew as straight as an arrow toward its target, but it fell harmlessly to the ground when it reached the Osushi.
"Tell Jukai to stop playing games," Osushi gasped, "or we'll come for him next." She laughed.
The red light emanating from the ground where the Hall of Hell had stood faded away. The mist rose and dissipated. Faint moonlight cut across Hyakkimaru's face. The willow tree had burned to a husk. All was quiet and still.
Then the demon-killing sword rose high in the sky, piercing each of the seven stars of the Big Dipper constellation. It flashed, and the demon cried out as it was forcibly ripped out of Osushi's body.
Osushi collapsed to the dirt like a stone.
Dororo stood in the bamboo grove, stunned. Hyakkimaru wasn't moving. Neither was Osushi.
"Aniki!" Dororo cried out.
"Do...ro...ro?"
Dororo gasped. Dead people couldn't talk. He retreated fearfully.
"Dororo," Hyakkimaru said, more clearly this time. "Come here."
"Uh...yes. I'm coming."
Hyakkimaru opened his eyes. He was obviously in pain, but he smiled slightly when he saw Dororo.
"Does it hurt?" Dororo asked. "Can you move? I'll go find Jukai right now and--"
"I can move." Hyakkimaru proved his point by getting to his feet. "The demon didn't beat me this time." He walked over to Osushi and lifted her up. "Seems like she needs more help than me."
<img src="Images/BodyPart11.png"><<audio win play>>
<center><i>You have recovered your stomach. It will appear on your Adventure Card.</i></center><<set $stomach to true>><<set $whole to $whole+1>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 155]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru carried Osushi after Jukai finished treating her injuries, and they left her at a temple to recover. She wasn't waking up.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Dororo asked.
"I don't know. I hope so," Hyakkimaru said.
<<if $jukai_party is true>>"We should probably keep moving," Jukai said. "There's not much we can do for her right now. We can come back and check on her later."
<</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>>Midoro snorted.<</if>>
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 156]]>><</button>></center>You have completed the Kind Path.
The PRAGMATIC and BRUTAL paths will open up depending on your previous actions in the game.
If you'd prefer to skip the PRAGMATIC and BRUTAL paths, you can see the ending of the Kind Path now. Completing all three paths (and making the right choices) will make Hyakkimaru whole at the end of the game and provide him with choices on how he will interact with his birth family.
<<set $KINDPATH to true>>
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[Pragmatic Path->Pragmatic Path 2 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[Brutal Path->Brutal 1]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<center><<button[[See the ending of the Kind Path.->Kind-Only Ending]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo had lived in a place like this, once. He remembered a small farmhouse near the capital that he'd lived in when he was four years old or so. He was taken in by another family and was always made to feel different from them. Farm work started early and ended late. He was always scolded for everything. Sometimes he was beaten.
He understood while he was living there that his parents were gone. Gone, and never coming back.
As Dororo grew older, he was permitted to help in the kitchen and chop firewood. The family was vulgar and coarse. Dororo picked up many of their mannerisms and speech patterns.
“You would have frozen to death if we hadn’t taken you in, you little brat. You should be grateful,” the master of the house said to him.
Recalling his cruel voice made Dororo remember falling into the hands of slave traders. It had happened during the blizzard, just after his mother had frozen to death. This family had bought him. That was why he lived with them. They worked him hard, but Dororo persevered. He had no other options and nowhere else to go.
Dororo didn’t remember exactly when it happened, but one of the children in the house kept calling him a thief. When he insisted that he wasn’t, the children called him ‘Dororo’ instead, and the name stuck.
Dororo didn’t remember the name his parents had given him at all.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 20]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo knew that he was unfortunate, but he also made the conscious choice not to suffer because of it. He had no family, so he would have to make his own way in the world from now on. His life might get better. It might get worse. All Dororo could do was grin and bear it.
At the start of yet another war, the farm was overrun by bandits. The entire family was killed and the house was set on fire. Dororo only survived by hiding in the fertilizer pit until the bandits left.
Then, Dororo was able to live freely for the first time in his life. He moved to the capital and made a living as a thief, starting by stealing food from wealthy samurai and Imperial Court estates. He came to hate the samurai and the nobles for living in opulent luxury while the working poor had nothing. He picked a good spot in a burned-out temple near the heart of the city.
Later, he ran into Hyakkimaru during his wanderings around the capital, and he'd been following him ever since.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 21]]>><</button>></center>
The encampment in Eguri Valley where Ochika lived was devoted to the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. This sect was founded by the monk Shinran in the 1200s. It proved popular in the northern provinces near the Sea of Japan and spread quickly. There were many devout believers like Ochika in Kaga Province. It was considered a wise sect that offered sinners a chance to atone for their crimes and seek paradise in the afterlife.
Of course, all of these religious matters were completely unknown to Dororo. Ochika had told him where he was, but that didn’t help him understand his actual physical location at all.
Dororo was able to move without pain after recovering for four days. Ochika nursed him and watched over him with great care. Dororo felt more attached to Ochika as the days passed. Ochika had once had a daughter, but she had died. Her daughter would be about Dororo’s same age, if she had lived. Sometimes s he saw the shadow of her own child’s face in Dororo’s.
“Do you have parents somewhere?” Ochika asked.
“They’re dead,” Dororo said. “I don’t even remember what they look like.”
“What were their names?”
“I don’t remember,” Dororo said. “They died when I was really young.”
“Then who raised you?”
“I was sold.”
“Sold?”
“I fell off a cliff while hunting, and some slave catchers found me.” Dororo answered simply, in short, factual sentences. He didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for him. Ochika wondered if Dororo felt resentment, anger, or sadness about the loss of his parents.
Ochika sighed. “You poor thing. You probably don’t even remember where you were picked up.” She paused. “But you said you had a dream about it, just before you woke up on your first day here. Do you remember anything about where you were from the dream?”
“Not really,” Dororo said. “I was running through a mountain pass. There was a blizzard.”
“Hm, a mountain pass in a blizzard…” Ochika repeated the words a few times, then asked, “Do you remember anything else?”
“Well… there was a shrine on the side of the road.”
Ochika was stunned. “A shrine, you said?”
“I think so,” Dororo said, frowning. “I’m not really sure.” Seeing such a serious expression on Dororo’s face was exceedingly rare. “Why are you asking, aunt Ochika?”
Ochika smiled. “No reason, really. I just wanted to know more about you.”
Dororo told Ochika everything he could remember about the farming family who had bought him, his escape to the capital, and meeting Hyakkimaru.
“You’ve accomplished a lot for someone so young,” Ochika said.
Dororo wondered if Ochika had children. It wouldn’t be strange for her to have them, but Dororo never saw any, and all the men he saw in Eguri Valley seemed like Ochika’s friends, not lovers. She had no husband.
Ochika was very learned in True Pure Land Sect teachings. She was also a very hard worker. Most of the men obeyed her orders. She had dedicated her life to her religion; her devotion was admired by all.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 22]]>><</button>></center>
When Dororo was entirely well, Ochika took Dororo outside and guided him around. The first thing Dororo noticed was that he couldn’t see the sky. Eguri Valley was in a deep forest gorge: the trees grew so tall and so thickly that the forest floor was always shrouded in gloom. Although there was a narrow road rising out of the gorge, very few people ever passed this way. It wasn’t widespread knowledge that there was a settlement here.
There were many small huts just like the one Ochika lived in dotted here and there in the woods. Some people lived in them singly; others shared one with their family. The largest hut was one that no one lived in. Ochika led Dororo inside and showed him the altar to Amida Buddha. He realized that this place was like a shrine. Many people were gathered inside, chanting prayers on their knees. “Namu Amida Butsu…”
There were no statues or religious icons. A sutra scroll hung above the crude wooden altar, but otherwise, the shrine had no iconography or decoration. Fat candles burned on the altar. Some of the worshipers burned sweet-smelling incense.
Dororo found the sutra scroll and the prayer familiar. He even recognized the kanji.
“You pray, too, Dororo,” Ochika said.
At Ochika’s prompting, Dororo placed his palms together and bowed his head. “Namu Amida Butsu…”
The people finished praying in the evening. Ochika gave the order for the men to prepare their horses and ride out. The men did so, laughing and talking. They didn't return until late at night.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 23]]>><</button>></center>When the riders returned, Dororo thought that they smelled like blood. Some men were severely injured, and a few horses returned without their riders, but the survivors were in high spirits. They'd brought back money and food and small gifts for their friends and families.
Dororo and Ochika had a late dinner in their hut. Ochika drank unrefined sake and rubbed her hands to warm herself up. “Are you afraid of me, Dororo?” she asked quietly.
Dororo hadn't expected the question. He didn't answer immediately.
There was laughter in Ochika's eyes. “You probably figured out we were bandits a while ago. You should know that we only attack samurai estates.”
Dororo had not realized how the people here brought in supplies before, but he had observed that not all of the people were simple farmers. Some were monks with shaven heads carrying spears. Others had the look of dispossessed merchants. All of them had some training in weapons and warfare.
“I'm not afraid,” Dororo said. He kept eating dinner. “It's not like I haven't fought bandits before.”
"When did you do such a dangerous thing?" Ochika asked.
Dororo shrugged and told her about his life in the capital, dodging enemy soldiers and bandits and stealing food.
“Weren't you lonely?”
“I think I forgot how to be lonely. Anyway, I have aniki now.”
“What's your aniki' s name?”
“Hyakkimaru. He's strong. He always protected me.”
“Who is he? What does he do?”
“He's a samurai.”
“What?”
“Well, he looks like one, anyway.” Dororo frowned. “Me and him and Jukai were going north into Kaga when we got separated.”
“Jukai?” Ochika asked. Dororo had described his past briefly before, but Ochika was curious about all the details.
“He's a great doctor who studied in China,” Dororo said. “ He's like aniki's and my dad. He' s really strict, but he's also super nice.” There was a contradiction in terms here, but Dororo didn't notice. He sincerely believed that Jukai was both excessively strict and incredibly compassionate.
“I see... talking about them makes you happy. I'm glad.” She took a sip of her sake, then said, “ It's cold tonight. You should probably have some so that you don't freeze. ”
Ochika held her sake bowl out to Dororo.
<center><<button[[Dororo drinks the sake.->Pragmatic 24]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Dororo doesn't drink the sake.->Pragmatic 25]]>><</button>></center>
“What? Is that sake? Can I really have some?”
“It's sweet, so you shouldn't have any trouble drinking it,” Ochika said. “ It should warm you up. ”
Dororo took a cautious sip. “It tastes great!”
“You should probably drink it all,” Ochika said. “It will help you sleep.”
Dororo took another sip. He felt warmth like fever spreading from his gut all over his body. After dinner, he stretched out next to Ochika on the floor and went to sleep.
Even Dororo's breath felt too warm. Ochika awoke in the middle of the night when she heard him snoring. It must be the effect of the sake, since Dororo didn't usually snore.
Ochika sat up, then pulled up Dororo’s futon cover to resettle it around him. She caught a glimpse of Dororo’s lower half and gasped.
“My…child…” Tears sprang into her eyes unbidden. She tucked the futon cover under Dororo’s chin, then covered her face with her hands.
<center><<button[[Dororo doesn't drink the sake.->Pragmatic 27]]>><</button>></center>Dororo didn't drink the sake and fell into a fitful doze.
<center><<button[[Dororo doesn't drink the sake.->Pragmatic 27]]>><</button>></center>All of this happened more than ten years ago.
Then as now, Ochika had lived in a hidden valley in the middle of the mountains. She'd called herself by her real name, Oujiya, then.
It was snowing heavily outside, but she and about twenty other riders pressed on, preparing to make their attack on another samurai estate. Their leader, Hibukuro, unsheathed his sword and called out in a bright, clear voice: “We’re there!”
The samurai estate was in their sights. The other riders cheered, then commenced their attack.
Ochika’s face was covered completely by a white cloth, except for her eyes. The bandits surrounded the estate and started cutting their way in. One of the samurai defending the estate lost his longsword and got to his knees before Ochika. “Please,” he begged, “spare my life.”
Rage flashed in Ochika’s eyes for an instant before she slit the samurai’s throat. There was the sound of splintering bone as blood sprayed everywhere. Ochika was as unperturbed as the stones in the courtyard beneath her feet. The other samurai attempting to surrender saw what she had done and sprinted away from the estate as fast as they could.
The attack was a complete success. The bandits returned to their encampment in a river gorge near dawn, then built a roaring fire and prepared a feast to celebrate their victory.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 28]]>><</button>></center>
Suddenly, there was the sound of a baby crying coming from one of the huts in the camp. Ochika entered the hut and knelt down next to the baby, who lay in a makeshift cradle suspended from a shelf. She removed her face covering, then picked up the baby and exposed one breast for feeding. The baby suckled greedily, little hands reaching up.
“You must be starving,” Ochika said. “Sorry we were away for such a long time.”
Ochika was completely recognizable as the warrior who had cut down her samurai opponents without mercy. The cloth served to conceal the fact that she was a woman in battle. None of the people she’d killed would ever guess that she was a loving mother.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 29]]>><</button>></center>Back in the camp, Hibukuro’s lieutenant and right-hand man, Itachi, was so drunk that he was unsteady on his feet. “Yo, captain. All this fighting samurai is very well and good and all, but why not set your sights higher? We could conquer the world!”
“Not this again,” Hibukuro muttered. “You’re not suggesting that I become a samurai, right?”
Itachi snorted. “Isn’t it better than being a bandit?”
“What?” Hibukuro glared at him.
Ochika placed the baby back in the makeshift cradle, then went outside and took a seat next to Hibukuro. “Itachi, have you forgotten what those bastards did to us?” she asked. “We were farmers who lost everything to them. We don’t want to become like them, waging pointless wars and killing innocents. We exist to fight the samurai who burned our village and trampled our fields, and all the men like them. Samurai are our enemies, Itachi. They’re not who we are. Even if all of us died tomorrow and I was the last survivor, I wouldn’t stop trying to make a more peaceful world, for the sake of all the people who are like we were, once. The world would be a better place without samurai in it.”
Hibukuro rested a heavy hand on Ochika’s shoulder.
“We are bandits,” Hibukuro said, “but we attack only samurai. Not farmers or peaceful people just trying to live their lives.”
“That’s how we got started,” Itachi said cajolingly. “But it’s not who we are now. Stop being so narrow-minded. Your name’s Hibukuro and all, but why not Zudabukuro instead? You can hold more than one idea in your head at a time, y’know. And we can’t make any changes in the world when we have no political power. If you don’t become a samurai, we’re stuck here doing the same damn thing forever.”
Hibukuro’s rage boiled over. He stood up. “I could kill you for saying that!”
Ochika tugged at Hibukuro’s sleeve. “He’s clearly had too much to drink,” she said.
Hibukuro stared at Itachi for a long moment, then spun on his heel and entered the hut he shared with Ochika and the baby. The other bandits dispersed; the feasting mood had been spoiled. Itachi was left alone by the fire. “I guess I’ll have to use force,” he said softly.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 30]]>><</button>></center>The next day, Hibukuro came back from the river around noon, carrying water. The camp was eerily quiet. Maybe Itachi had tried stirring up the men again. He heard Ochika scream and ran to their hut.
“The baby,” Ochika cried, “The baby is… gone.”
Their child had vanished.
“This is probably Itachi’s fault. We’ll get ‘em back. I promise.”
Hibukuro and Ochika saddled their horses and left the camp. The tracks they were following led to a nearby magistrate’s office.
Hibukuro drew his sword, still mounted, face red with rage. “Get out here, you fucker! What do you think you’re doing with my kid?”
The magistrate was named Mori Toshisada. He’d been trying to capture Hibukuro and his bandits for a very long time, so having Hibukuro come to him put him in something of a prideful mood. Itachi’s laughter rang out from behind the office’s latticework windows. Mori laughed with him.
“So you actually showed your face, Hibukuro?” Mori asked from inside the office. “Your kid’s locked up and crying. If you resist, we’ll strangle him to death.”
Ochika faced Hibukuro with a heartbroken expression.
Hibukuro threw down his sword and jumped down off his horse. “Do whatever you want to me,” he said. “But let the kid go.” His own life was not worth that of his child’s. He sat down on the ground cross-legged and waited.
Police exited the magistrate’s office and bound Hibukuro hand and foot. That done, the police dragged Hibukuro into a prison cell. The policemen lashed an enormous wooden log onto his back to make it harder for him to run away. The heavy weight made him groan.
“Lock the wife up, too,” Mori ordered coldly. “We’ll execute all three of them tomorrow.”
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 31]]>><</button>></center>
That night, a powerful wind blew outside, shaking the walls of the jail cells where Hikukuro, Ochika and their baby were being held. There was a fire set in front of the cells, but cold wind blew through the cracks in the walls, so all of the prisoners were shivering. The prison guard carried a heavy club, patrolling back and forth.
“I want to save our child, at least,” Ochika whispered.
“We will,” Hibukuro said. He shifted toward the barred windows of the cell. The guard was visible, coming his way.
“Hey, you! I’m getting executed tomorrow. I got money, but it’s useless now. Want it?”
The guard’s eyes lit up. “That’s admirable of you, thinking of others on eve of your death. Thank you.”
While Hibukuro was passing the guard some coins, he seized the guard’s arm in a tight grip.
“Ah! Let go, you bastard!”
Hibukuro helped himself to the guard’s club, pulling it into the cell and dropping it before squeezing the guard’s throat hard in both hands. The guard collapsed outside the cell, unconscious. Hibukuro knelt down and recovered the guard’s keys, then unlocked the cell and opened the door.
“Hurry,” Hibukuro said. “Meet me at the mountain ridge. You know the place.”
“What do you plan to do?” Ochika asked.
Hibukuro picked up the guard’s sword. “I’m going to have a chat with the magistrate,” he said. He ran out of the prison, sword raised.
Ochika stole a horse and fled with the baby in her arms. Hibukuro sprinted all the way to the magistrate’s house.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 32]]>><</button>></center>“Get out here, you fucking coward!” Hibukuro shouted.
Guards and policemen rushed to their places, but they were too late to save the magistrate from Hibukuro. He found the magistrate sleeping in his room and slit his throat.
Hibukuro found a jar of oil and spilled it all over the magistrate’s bedroom floor. Then he threw a torch into a puddle of oil. He watched the room burn for a few moments before leaving. He had to meet Ochika at the mountain ridge. Hibukuro ran, kimono soaked in the magistrate’s blood.
He got to the ridge a little before dawn. Itachi was there ahead of him, holding a knife to Ochika’s throat with one hand. He held the baby by the neck in his other hand.
Hibukuro glared. “Let the baby go, Itachi.”
Itachi laughed. “If you want to save him, throw down your sword.”
Hibukuro cast his stolen sword aside. Seconds later, arrows flew in from all directions, all of them aimed at Hibukuro’s thighs. Hibukuro fell to his knees with a painful gasp.
“Traitor,” he spat. “Monster.”
Itachi smiled. “Everyone follows my orders now, not yours,” he said. “It’s like I said. We can’t change anything n this world if we can’t deal with samurai on equal terms.”
“You’re a butcher and a thief. You belong in the gutter, Itachi.” Hibukuro mastered his pain and got to his feet.
“Oh, you can still stand, Zubabukuro?” Itachi said mockingly. “Go wherever you want. I don’t care. You’re not important anymore.” He threw the baby roughly at Ochika.
“Ah!” Ochika just barely caught the baby.
Itachi ran away, laughing loudly. His voice echoed on the rocky ridge.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 33]]>><</button>></center>
Hibukuro and Ochika walked slowly through a city, each holding one hand of their tiny child. They were beggars now, and not proud of it, but Hibukuro’s legs had never fully healed and he couldn’t work. Hibukuro used a club as a cane as he shuffled painfully down the street. Ochika wore her white face covering on her head and pulled the three-year-old toddler gently along.
A cart drawn by oxen passed them by on the street. It was obvious at a glance that the cart belonged to someone obscenely wealthy. The guards protecting the cart were all samurai. One of them threw a piece of manjū2 at the three-year-old’s feet.
“Our mistress pities you,” the samurai said. He sounded bored. “You should be grateful for her generosity.”
“Ah, manjū!” The child picked up the sweet bun with both hands.
“Put it down,” Hibukuro said. He took the manjū roughly from his child’s hands, then clubbed the samurai who had thrown it in the stomach.
Ochika trembled with fear. The other samurai guards shouted angrily. “Is that any way to treat someone who’s offered you food, you beggar? It’s better than you deserve!”
“You all feast on delicacies while the farmers who harvest your food starve to death along with their families,” Hibukuro spat. “I’ll take nothing of yours. The Buddha will punish you for your crimes someday.” He threw the manjū into the cart, right at the noble lady sitting inside.
“We’ll kill you for that!” the guard Hibukuro had clubbed said. The other samurai guards drew their weapons. Hibukuro fought many of them off even though his legs couldn’t move well, but he was surprised by a spearman who’d been hiding in the shadow of the cart. He went down with a spear point lodged in his stomach.
Ochika screamed as the other samurai moved in and stabbed all four of Hibukuro’s limbs. He never got up again.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 34]]>><</button>></center>The blizzard was the worst one Ochika remembered. She tried to hang on to her child, but she kept slipping and falling. She was exhausted and starving and she couldn’t see.
“Mommy?”
Ochika was alarmed at the child’s pale face and blue lips. She pulled her child closer to her and kept walking. Snow fell thickly around them, but Ochika could just make out a small wayside shrine ahead.
“Amida Buddha has a shrine right there,” Ochika said. “If we can make it, people will help us.”
Ochika made it all the way to the shrine before she collapsed, unconscious.
“Mommy?”
Ochika didn’t move. Her child ran to get help. “Ah! Help! Someone help my mom!”
The strong wind carried the child’s voice away. No one heard it.
When Ochika opened her eyes, her child was gone. She searched, but even footprints had been covered over by the blizzard. All she could hear was the howling of the wind.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 35]]>><</button>></center>
Ochika curled in on herself in the corner near Dororo’s bed and wept. Everything Dororo had dreamed was the truth. Ochika was saved by traveling monks who worshiped Amida Buddha. She believed that she wouldn’t have lived without the Buddha’s intervention.
The monks who had saved Ochika were militant and opposed to the wastefulness and cruelty of samurai. Ochika’s devotion and fighting skill proved useful to them, and she eventually became their leader. She acquired money and resources, not just for the cause, but for personal reasons.
Dororo assumed that his mother was dead, but Ochika had always believed that her child was alive. Even though she and the monks had searched the mountain paths for days looking and found nothing, she still believed. She waited for the snow to melt and searched the entire mountain herself. She still found nothing, but she was not discouraged. If her child was dead, she would have found a body, or at least bones. Finding bones would have eased her mind somewhat. She could at least bury Hibukuro’s child next to him, then.
So much time had passed. Ochika had given her child up for lost, but now, Dororo had returned to her. Despite this, Ochika couldn’t reveal her true identity to Dororo: not now. She didn’t dare. Ochika and the bandits were being hunted. Eguri Valley itself wasn’t as safe as she’d claimed. It was impossible for Dororo to live with Ochika as things were.
Dororo had survived this far on her own. Ochika wanted her to survive for as long as possible.
Ochika had recognized Dororo as her long-lost child when she’d noticed the peculiar placement of three moles on her upper thigh. They were birthmarks. Ochika had never seen them on any other child.
Ochika and Hibukuro had decided to raise their child as a boy to better protect her from the dangers of the outside world. Dororo was a girl, but she had lived as a boy for much of the last thirteen years. The farmers who had enslaved her had undoubtedly known that she was a girl, but Dororo had reinvented herself as a boy after settling down in the capital. She must have understood instinctively what her parents had been trying to do, and she’d used the same kind of strategy to protect herself.
Ochika saw so much of herself in her daughter. She saw Hibukuro’s fierce bravery in Dororo, too. She felt like Dororo was repeating parts of her parents’ lives. She had been abused by wealthy farmers and attacked by samurai, but she had fought. She’d found friends. And she was still alive.
Hibukuro had given his life to save their daughter.
Daigo Kagemitsu had sacrificed his own child for the sake of power.
Knowing both of their circumstances, Ochika felt that Hyakkimaru and Dororo were meant to meet. They were both children seeking a family--and they’d made one.
Ochika made sure that Dororo was completely covered by the blanket, then went to sleep.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 36]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo was finally recovered from his injuries. It was time for him to leave Eguri Valley.
“Where will you go from here?” Ochika asked. “To find your aniki?” Ochika understood how devoted and steadfastly loyal Dororo was to Hyakkimaru. She recognized that particular trait as Hibukuro’s.
“Yeah. Aniki and Jukai are probably worried. I gotta find them.”
“You’re just going to meet them, right? You’re not going to have to fight.”
“Um, yeah.”
Ochika smiled and folded her arms. “Don’t play dumb with me, young man. I found those darts in your sleeves.”
Dororo checked his sleeves and found his weapons gone. He frowned at Ochika. He knew that she wasn’t an enemy, but he needed his darts back before he could leave. “Give them back,” Dororo said. “I can fight with them, and I can’t do as much without them. Please.”
Dororo did seem desperate to be of use. Ochika saw the shadowed past of a child who had been forced to fight every day of their lives in Dororo’s expression. For Dororo, the idea of his loving mother was nothing more than a distant memory that made his heart hurt whenever he thought of it.
Hyakkimaru and his adoptive father Jukai were vivid and real and immediate. Ochika knew that Dororo was heading farther north into Kaga Province to find them, but Dororo hadn’t told her about Hyakkimaru’s artificial limbs, his psychokinesis or the demons. Ochika was worried for Dororo’s safety, but the things she was worried about were warlords and soldiers, not monsters and demons.
"You could stay here," Ochika said. "If they're looking for you, they'll find you."
"Not if I find them first."
Dororo really was his father’s child. It was impossible to prevent him from leaving.
"You can come back here at any time," Ochika said. "You know that?"
Dororo nodded. "Thanks, but I probably won't come back. At least not for awhile."
"All right then, Dororo. You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“No matter what?”
“No matter what.”
Ochika sighed. “If you insist, I guess I’ll have to go with you to make sure you find them safely.”
“What?” Dororo blinked. “I mean, um, thanks!”
Dororo’s eyes sparkled in the sunshine. She looked so much like a little boy that it broke Ochika’s heart.
<<if $eguri_valley is false>><<set $eguri_valley to true>><<audio win play>><img src="Images/Achievement-32.png"><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Eguri Valley<br>for discovering Ochika and her army.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<i>Dororo has gained access to Eguri Valley as a base. If he is hurt or in need of help, he will be able to retreat here. </i>
<center><<button[[Return to Hyakkimaru's path and let Ochika escort Dororo to find him.->Pragmatic 37]]>><</button>></center>
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[Have Dororo sneaks off alone to find Hyakkimaru.->Pragmatic 60]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
The sky was cloudy late in the afternoon . There was nothing Hyakkimaru could do for now except camp. He hoped that both Dororo would catch up soon.
<<if $jukai_party is true>> <</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>><</if>>
Hyakkimaru scanned the edges of the ravine, looking for a natural cave carved by a waterfall to take shelter in. He saw people ahead of him, all monks. They were on the mountain path, so they were probably practitioners of mountain worship, also called shugendō. Shugendō was an ancient practice that had fallen in and out of favor over the centuries. People who practiced shugendō believed that gods and spirits dwelt in mountains that were capable of granting blessings--or bestowing curses. The most devout traveled in large groups climbing many mountains, one after another.
Hyakkimaru was close to Ataka, the site of a famous shrine where Moritomo no Yoshitsune, the warrior monk Benkei, and the warlord Togashi Saemonnojō set aside their differences and joined forces in 1187. That was probably where the monks were headed. The shrine was a famous place to pray for peace.
The monks saw Hyakkimaru approaching behind them and stopped. The leader of the procession came forward to meet him and bowed.
“We are pilgrims from Mount Haku,” the monk said. “My name is Hōkaibō. Would you honor me with yours, since you are also passing through these mountains?”
He spoke politely, which was to be expected for the leader of a group of very pious monks.
Hyakkimaru bowed deeply. “My name is Hyakkimaru. I recently left the main road to search for a campsite in the ravine.”
“That’s sensible,” Hōkaibō said. “There are shrines and temples in this region, but none of them are close enough to reach before nightfall. You are welcome to accompany us to a nearby cave. I can’t promise comfortable accommodations, but it will at least be drier and warmer than sleeping out in the open.”
This was an unexpected stroke of good luck. “Thank you,” Hyakkimaru said, “but I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”
“It’s no trouble,” Hōkaibō said. “Please feel free to follow us.”
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 38]]>><</button>></center>
The monks stopped at a small village to distribute talismans and buy food. Their gentle manner with the poor farmers put Hyakkimaru at ease, so he kept following them. They descended a steep cliff to a riverbed, then entered a cave behind a waterfall. The waterfall flowed down from a great height, so it sprayed water everywhere. The area around the cave was misty and growing dark. There were large stones scattered near the waterfall, worn smooth by the river.
Hyakkimaru looked up at the sky. It had been clear for much of the day, but thick gray clouds blotted out the sun now. The mist around the waterfall gave him an uneasy feeling. He wasn’t sure if he should enter the cave or not.
Hōkaibō noticed his hesitation and smiled. “Hyakkimaru, do you suspect a trap? Well, you’re right.” He nodded, which served as a signal for the other monks to surround Hyakkimaru, brandishing their climbing sticks threateningly. They glared at him, no trace of the mild-mannered innocent monks he’ d met earlier left in their faces.
There was definitely demonic energy in the air, but no matter how Hyakkimaru looked at this situation, these monks were all human. He had no reason to attack them, and they had no reason to attack him. If he had to guess, he would say that the Hall of Hell demons were behind this ambush somehow.
But the monks didn’ t appear to be demons. All of them retained their human shape. And the Hall of Hell demons had always used lightning in their attacks. The sky was cloudy, but there was no storm. The demons had never revealed themselves to him in this way, either. They had always attacked him from cover or concealed their true nature.
Could the Hall of Hell demons use their cursed energy to influence ordinary people? It was possible; Daigo Kagemitsu had made a deal with them and was almost certainly being controlled by them in some way. Still, Daigo Kagemitsu had a deal with the demons, which implied that he ’d entered an agreement with them willingly. Hyakkimaru couldn’ t imagine any circumstances for sincerely believing monks to make a pact with demons.
Hyakkimaru had sworn that he would not use psychokinesis on human opponents. The demons had found a chink in his defenses. It was typical of them to exploit it.
“You’ re devout men, believers in the mountain gods that protect this place from evil,” Hyakkimaru said. “Aren’ t you ashamed of selling your souls to demons like this?” The waterfall made his voice echo.
Hōkaibō laughed: a strange sound that sent a chill up Hyakkimaru ’s spine. “ We rarely enjoy the use of living flesh that is so well-maintained. I highly doubt we’ ll lose to the likes of you.”
Hyakkimaru blinked.
The monks raised their climbing sticks as one and attacked.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 39]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<audio final-showdown-myuu play>><i>Note: This is a battle scene. The random number to use in place of a 6-sided die is 3.
</i>
<center>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Possessed Monks - Random Number]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Battle with Possessed Monks - Use 3]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to win.->Pragmatic 40]]>><</button>></center></td><td> </td>
<td><center><<button[[Choose to lose.->Pragmatic 41]]>><</button>></center></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle10 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle10 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle10 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 40]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle10 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 41]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center><<audio ":all" stop>><center><<if $battle7 > "400">><<audio success play>><</if>><<if $battle7 > "400">><img src="Images/win.png"><</if>>
<<if $battle7 > "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 40]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><<audio fail play>><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><img src="Images/lose.png"><</if>><<if $battle7 < "400">><center><br><<button[[Continue.->Pragmatic 41]]>><</button>></center>><</if>></center>Lost the battle with the monks..Hyakkimaru jumped back, avoiding all of the monks’ blows, though it was a close thing. He didn’ t know how to fight them without killing them, especially if he couldn’ t use psychokinesis. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. The climbing sticks hadn’ t hit him, but he could tell the monks were exceptionally strong. Taking even a single hit could damage his limbs.
Hyakkimaru didn’ t even consider using psychokinesis or the cannon in his arm. If his opponents were human, he would fight them on human terms, fair and square. He wasn ’t about to let the demons make him break his vow.
The waterfall contacted the monks’ weapons, shooting spray upwards with the speed of monkeys jumping from tree to tree. Most carried simple climbing sticks, but militant monks trained with all kinds of weapons as a matter of course. Even if the demons weren ’t behind this attack, it wouldn’ t be an easy fight. He could probably handle one on his own without much of a problem, but fighting all of them at once?
He couldn’t rely on psychokinesis. There was no one here to help him. He would have to defeat these men with swordsmanship alone.
Hyakkimaru drew his Muramasa sword. The monks closed in, waving their weapons wildly. Hyakkimaru managed to avoid most of their blows, but Hōkaibō struck him hard in his right leg. Hyakkimaru managed to absorb most of the blow with the Muramasa sword, but the impact was so jarring that he lost his balance. He fell, but that was better than having his leg crushed.
Hyakkimaru had no desire to kill these monks. His sword was sharp enough to cut most of their weapons in half. He decided to focus his efforts there. The monks wouldn ’t be able to damage him as effectively if they had only their hands.
The monks kicked at Hyakkimaru’ s legs and tried to jab him with their climbing sticks. Hyakkimaru gripped his Muramasa sword in both hands, jumping over or deflecting the monks ’ climbing sticks.
Hyakkimaru fought until he was drenched in sweat and gasping for air. If his opponents had been ordinary humans with normal human limits, they would almost certainly be exhausted, too, but Hōkaibō and the others showed no signs of slowing down.
“Die!” Hōkaibō lunged at Hyakkimaru with his climbing stick.
Hyakkimaru was exhausted from fighting. Hōkaibō’ s climbing stick struck him roughly in the gut. His sword bit air as he tried to deflect it. He collapsed to the ground and rolled, trying to avoid other hits.
Hōkaibō started laughing. Hyakkimaru rolled into the feet of one of the other monks and realized that he was completely surrounded. There was no place for him to run. The monks regarded him with identical smiles and raised their weapons.
Hyakkimaru had a choice: he could use psychokinesis to save himself, or he could allow himself to be killed. If he died here, all of his long years of training and travel and discovery would be wasted. He closed his eyes against the gleefully triumphant monks and tried to think.
There was a flash of lightning in the sky. Hyakkimaru opened his eyes wide. Lightning flashed again. The Muramasa sword seemed to absorb the illumination from the lightning: it was glowing, and pointed at Hōkaibō. Hyakkimaru watched a beam of light from his sword cut through Hōkaibō ’s weapon. The moment the light touched Hōkaibō , he completely disappeared.
The other monks fled in a panic, scattering like the wind. Hyakkimaru was left alone on the riverbank.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 42]]>><</button>></center>
He had used psychokinesis against a human. He got up slowly, Muramasa sword in hand, scarcely able to believe what he had done. He hadn ’t consciously chosen to use psychokinesis; he felt like he’ d acted purely on instinct. He had acted to defend himself from being killed by a demon, not a person.
“Yōkai, ” he called out, “ fight me in your true forms, with your real faces! Cowards!”
The monks stopped fleeing and turned. The skin of their faces blackened and feathers sprouted from their foreheads. They looked like a murder of crows--giant, demonic crows. Their eyes shrunk, dark and beady, and dark wings sprouted from their shoulders.
Lightning flashed in the demons’ eyes. They took to the air, planning to attack Hyakkimaru from the sky.
The wind became a violent gale. The sky darkened as the thunderstorm grew worse. Lightning struck just behind Hyakkimaru. As he dodged, he remembered that Hōkaibō had cast no shadow during their battle. The failing light should have cast his shadow plainly across the river ’s surface, but Hyakkimaru hadn’t seen it at all.
Hyakkimaru wanted to verify what he’d seen. The demons intended to kill him with lightning. He assumed that these were yōkai that had taken human shape to deceive him, but he knew better than to make assumptions about a demon’ s nature. They also seemed to have forgotten that Hyakkimaru could attack them with lightning, too.
Hyakkimaru had a plan, but he couldn’t let his guard down before he could put it into practice. The transformed demons retained the same brute strength and combat skill of the militant monks they ’ d disguised themselves as. One bad hit might cause Hyakkimaru to lose. He felt the rage of the Hall of Hell demons radiating off the transmogrified crow demons in waves.
Tengu often assumed the shapes of birds. Hyakkimaru was familiar with tengu because of his early life on Mount Kurama, which was said to be where the king of the tengu lived. Some people believed they were demons and harbingers of war, but others believed they were auspicious or even benevolent beings. Yoshitsune had learned the sword from tengu on Mount Kurama, according to legends. Hyakkimaru had learned the sword in the same place, and his weapon was specifically made to kill demons.
Hyakkimaru knew about legends of evil tengu. They were supposed to have power over the weather and were known for kidnapping people. He had no doubt that the crow demons were evil tengu.
Drizzling rain misted in the air, making dewdrops on budding spring trees. One tree was struck by lightning and caught fire. The rage of the Hall of Hell demons shook the earth. The crow demons took to the sky with spears and naginata, surrounding Hyakkimaru again so that he couldn't flee.
Hyakkimaru’s hair was blown back by the wind. Rain and cold spray from the waterfall stung his eyes and made it harder to see. Hyakkimaru blinked to clear his vision and counted eight attackers. He assumed a fighting stance on the ground and waited.
“Caw!” One of the demons hurled their spear at Hyakkimaru while they were in the air. Hyakkimaru released his Muramasa sword into the sky, moving so fast that it cut off the demon ’s head before any of the other demons could react. Blood gushed from the demon’ s wound for a few moments. The mortally wounded demon changed into a bright white flame, then vanished.
Hyakkimaru would not be able to kill demons with the Muramasa sword alone. He needed his psychokinesis for that.
Another demon wielding a naginata sprang on Hyakkimaru from above. Hyakkimaru was pushed back by the demon’ s dive, sword held out defensively in front of himself. The demon’ s naginata cut into his prosthetic leg from the side.
Hyakkimaru reacted on instinct, beheading the demon before it could damage his limbs any further. The demon gasped, gurgling blood, then turned to white fire and disappeared.
The other six demon crows threw away their weapons. Lightning reflected off their glossy black wings. They perched on a large boulder above the riverbed and glared down at Hyakkimaru with hatred in their eyes. The tips of their wings glinted: they had transformed into sharp daggers. They were planning a coordinated attack from up high.
Hyakkimaru was exhausted, physically and mentally. He took a deep breath, then gathered his remaining energy into the Muramasa sword and focused on defense.
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A cloud of arrows cut through the sky, aiming for the crow demons. The arrows pierced their wings and their eyes. Some struggled to fly away, but another volley of arrows finished them off. The crow demons changed into white fire, then vanished like smoke.
The wind died down. Hyakkimaru looked for his rescuers and identified a cavalry unit riding along the mountain path above him. The crest on their banners was three japonica flowers, indicating that the cavalry unit served the Asakura Clan. The archer leading the riders had the bald pate of a monk.
“Asakura Mitsuhisa...”
Asakura Mitsuhisa was the younger brother of the warlord Asakura Takakage, and his staunchest supporter. Hyakkimaru and Dororo had met both Asakura Mitshisa and his brother in Ichijōdani the year before.
“Aha, is that you, Hyakkimaru? It’s been a while.” He laughed hugely.
Hyakkimaru was stunned. He bowed his head politely, as a loss for what else to do. “That was close,” he said. “Thank you for saving me.”
Asakura Mitsuhisa’s family seat of Ichijōdani was in Ezichen Province. What was he doing in Kaga Province?
Mitsuhisa frowned at the crow demons. “What are those things, anyway? Monsters?”
“Yes,” Hyakkimaru said.
“How odd. I’ve never seen anything like that before. But I don’t really think we saved you. I saw you take out the first two, no problem. You probably could have won without our help.”
Mitsuhisa fixed Hyakkimaru with a curious stare. “You’ve been attacked by these things before, haven’t you?”
Hyakkimaru held Mitsuhisa’s stare. “It seems to be my lot in life.”
(Hyakkimaru regains tailbone and spine)
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 44]]>><</button>></center> “Hm. Where’s that kid who follows you around like a dog?”
=“We were separated at the province’s Judicial Office,” Hyakkimaru said.”I’m not sure where Dororo is now.”
=“Well, I’m certain he’s not dead,” Mitsuhisa said. “That one’s unkillable. And I’m equally sure he’ll catch up to you eventually. Are you still looking for whatshisname, Lord Daigo?”
“Yes,” Hyakkimaru said. “We found out that he’s at Nomitadani Fortress.”
Mitsuhisa nodded in understanding.
“What about you? Are you heading for the fortress?”
“A fortress, but not that one,” Mitsuhisa said. “We were resting a bit tonight, but we should reach it in the next few days.” He loaned Hyakkimaru a horse and invited him to accompany the riders to their camp, which was at an old temple. The watchfires were lit when the sun went down. Soldiers and ashigaru patrolled around the camp in shifts.
Mitsuhisa and Hyakkimaru drank and ate their dinner together in the same tent. Mitsuhisa had very refined taste in sake and an amazingly high tolerance, considering that he was supposed to be a temperate monk. They discussed news from the capital and the recent goings-on of the war in Kaga Province. Hyakkimaru also told Mitsuhisa a little of what he’d learned from Itagaki and Kaga’s Judicial Office.
“I know that Daigo Kagemitsu is the military commander of Nomitadani Fortress,” Mitshuhisa said, “but you’ve never revealed your connection to him.”
Hyakkimaru looked into his sake bowl. “He abandoned me and sent me down the river the day I was born.”
“Down the river?” Mitsuhisa asked.
“He’s my father.”
Mitsuhisa blinked.
“He sold my body to demons for the sake of his own power.”
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Mitsuhisa appeared mightily interested. He looked like he was trying to see straight into Hyakkimaru’s soul. “Did the monsters who attacked you have something to do with that?”
Hyakkimaru looked down at his left arm and nodded sadly. He removed the arm and held it out to Mitsuhisa. “All of my limbs are artificial,” he said.
“You fight monsters like that...with a body like this?” Mitsuhisa’s curiosity was far from being satisfied. “You’re even stronger than I gave you credit for. Can I ask you more?” Mitsuhisa forgot about his sake entirely and focused on Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru told Mitsuhisa about his past in fits and starts. The surgeon Jukai found in him the Takano River near Mount Hyōtankuzure. Both of them had been attacked by demonic lightning that day. Jukai had raised him and helped him function. When Hyakkimaru started having nightmares about the Hall of Hell, he discovered that his limbs had been stolen by demons just after his birth. He climbed Mount Monju and discovered how to kill demons with his sword.
Hyakkimaru’s past was a strange tale to hear, but Mitsuhisa listened patiently and didn’t interrupt or ask for clarification.
When Hyakimaru finished speaking, he couldn’t conceal the hatred he felt for Daigo Kagemitsu. His prosthetic hands shook with rage.
“What you have said strikes me as miraculous,” Mitsuhisa said. “ I understand completely why you would wish to find your father. What about your mother? Do you know anything about her?”
“Not much,” he said, “but if she went along with my father in abandoning me, then she’s just as bad as he is.” Hyakkimaru spoke quietly, but he was agitated.
“Hyakkimaru?” Mitsuhisa asked in a tone of concern.
Hyakkimaru took a deep breath to calm himself.
“You’ve never seen your parents,” Mitsuhisa said, “and all you know about them is that your father sold your limbs to demons when you were a baby. I think you need to decide what you intend to do now, before you meet them. There’s a lot about this situation that bothers me.”
“I agree,” Hyakkimaru said. “I want to meet them so I can learn the truth.”
Mitsuhisa nodded. “If your father is a samurai general, I can easily imagine the lengths he’d go to for the sake of his own ambitions. But there’s one thing I truly do not understand.”
“What’s that?”
“Your mother,” Mitsuhisa said. “How was she persuaded to abandon her own child? I can’t imagine she wanted to, no matter what your father wanted.”
“She must have seen me limbless and deformed and panicked,” Hyakkimaru said. “Maybe she didn’t want to raise a child like me.”
Mitsuhisa looked Hyakkimaru in the eye and said, “My own mother left this world many years ago, but we called her Kannon, goddess of mercy.”
"Kannon?”
Hyakkimaru knew a little about the Asakura Clan. Mitshisa’s older brother was Takakage, and they had siblings and half-siblings that they worked closely with, like Asakura Tsunekage and Asakura Kagefuyu. He knew nothing about Mitsuhisa’s mother.
“She treated us fairly and loved us all equally,” Mitsuhisa said. “Every child raised with a mother thinks of her in the same way. No mother would willingly throw away their child. She must have had a reason.”
Hyakkimaru remembered Mio’s kindness to all the abandoned children at the ruined temple. She had been their mother. He found himself longing deeply and painfully for something he’d never had.
“If you were stillborn, she might have sent you down the river as a purification ritual to put your soul to rest. But you were alive. Is it possible that she made some kind of mistake?”
Hyakkimaru faced Mitsuhisa squarely. “I don’t know,” he said. “I think about it all the time. I’ll never find out unless I ask them.”
Mitsuhisa nodded, then picked up his sake bowl. “I think I understand. What will you do to the father who used you and cast you aside?”
The strength of Hyakkimaru’s hatred for Kagemitsu Daigo was a fixed constant in his life. “I’ll make him look the same way I did when I was born.”
Mitsuhisa’s eyes took on a sharp cast. “Do you intend to do the same thing to your mother?”
“I’ll cut them each into five pieces and leave them for the beasts and birds.” Hyakkimaru covered his mouth with his hand. He hadn’t meant to say such a thing—had he?
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Silence fell. Hyakkimaru heard the other men in the camp talking and laughing outside the tent. Unburdening himself to Mitsuhisa gave him a great deal of relief. Mitsuhisa was a perceptive man and a good listener. These were probably skills he’d honed while walking the narrow path between being a monk and being a warrior.
“Mitsuhisa,” Hyakkimaru said, “have you ever met Daigo Kagemitsu?”
“No.” He leaned forward a little in his seat. “Daigo Kagemitsu was made commander of Nomitadani Fortress in the summer of last year. He manages affairs for the Eastern Army in southern Kaga Province. Whenever there’s a large assault, the Western Army pauses to collect their injured and dead and hold funerals. So does the Eastern Army. It’s during that time that military commanders are most active with preparations for the next battle. Nomitadani is a strong fortress, but it’s small. My guess would be that there are between fifteen hundred and two thousand men stationed there at any given time. It has been built up considerably since the Daigo Clan took it over. There’s a moat now, and the walls have all been built taller and thicker. The fortress was attacked recently, so I’d expect the watch to be especially vigilant.”
Hyakkimaru was impressed at how much Mitsuhisa knew about the inner workings of Nomitadani Fortress. He hadn’t learned any of this when he’d met Mitsuhisa at Ichijōdani before. All of this news was relatively recent.
“Do you intend to enter the fortress?” Mitsuhisa asked.
“Yes,” Hyakkimaru answered without a scrap of hesitation.
“I see you won’t be dissuaded.” Mitsuhisa looked thoughtful. “Though I wish you’d reconsider. The fortress has as many as two thousand men, but the area surrounding it is a battlefield where many thousands more are constantly patrolling and mustering. All the soldiers gathered there will view you as an enemy. Daigo Kagemitsu himself has bodyguards and personal protection. You’ll need someone local to get you in safely and introduce you to the right people.”
Hyakkimaru had no interest in subterfuge if going in the front gate would work just as well, but he did listen to Mitsuhisa, because his information seemed good and he was obviously an ally.
“It’s an idea,” Hyakkimaru said, “but I really always planned to go in alone.”
Mitsuhisa drained his sake bowl, then set it slowly aside. “Do you know much about Hōnen?” he asked.
Hyakkimaru frowned at him in puzzlement. “I’ve heard of him. He’s the founder of the Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. Shinran was one of his followers.”
“Yes. After his father was assassinated, he entered his uncle’s temple as an initiate at the age of nine. It is believed that his father’s last words to his son were, ‘Don't hate the enemy, but become a monk and pray for me and for your deliverance.’”
Hyakkimaru’s desire to kill Daigo originated four years ago, when he’d learned the truth about his birth from Sakuzō. All of his plans for the future had changed then. The strong bonds that had kept him on Mount Kurama had weakened. It was no exaggeration to say that finding—and killing—Daigo Kagemitsu had become the goal of his entire life.
“Well, I’m spouting platitudes again,” Mitsuhisa said with a weak smile, more than half to himself. “It’s an old monk habit.” He scratched his bald head, then chuckled.
Hyakkimaru understood what Mitsuhisa was trying to say. He had once come across the grave of a monk, Semimaru, who had been abandoned by his parents. He hadn't hated his parents for what they'd done. Hyakkimaru had found it difficult to understand him. Maybe that was what it was, to be a monk: to set aside worldly concerns and engage in a sort of all-encompassing forgiveness.
Mitsuhisa regarded Hyakkimaru with a solemn expression. "Hyakkimaru, the world is larger than we know. Directions are not fixed, and the path of one's life can change in an instant. There are no nations without war, and war is unceasing. The strong survive, though it is hard to say that they live. Survival is the goal for those who name themselves warriors. A man strikes down his enemy, and is struck down in turn by his enemy's son. The cycle of hatred perpetuates forever unless we stop it."
The last time Hyakkimaru’s life had completely changed was when he’d decided to chase down Daigo Kagemitsu on his own. Looking at that decision now, it was hard for him to say why he’d decided to risk so much for the sake of something that had so little relevance to his life up until that point.
But Hyakkimaru had always lived for the truth. Understanding what was true and real had always been important to him.
His life had also changed dramatically when he’d learned the Seven Stars Demonic Exorcism, since he’d used it to kill demons for the first time. Jukai, Hōichi and Sakuzō had all radically altered his life’s path and goals by what they had taught him, told him, and done for him. The demons had forced him to learn how to defend himself. It was largely because of them that he was a warrior at all.
The Hall of Hell demons wanted to eradicate psychokinesis from the world. Hyakkimaru thought about his current situation and frowned. Did the demons tell Daigo Kagemitsu that I was dead, and that’s why I was abandoned? Or maybe he assumed I would die quickly? But I’m alive, and the demons want me dead. Have they told him that I’m still alive?
“If you’re bound and determined to go to that fortress, I can’t stop you.” Mitsuhisa shook his head. “But if you’re alive at the end of all this, come back to Ichijōdani.” He chuckled, but he sounded worried. He wanted to suggest making Hyakkimaru an officer in Asakura Takakage’s army, but this didn’t seem like the best time to make such a proposition.
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The next morning, Mitsuhisa and his army pulled up camp and made preparations to return to Ezichen. He gave Hyakkimaru a horse, and they parted ways.
Nomitadani Fortress wasn’t far from Mitsuhisa’s camp by horse. He’d seen no sign of Dororo yet, but he hoped to meet them as he got closer to the fortress. He saw it in the distance after a few days. It was larger than he’d expected and posted a strict guard, day and night. Mitsuhisa had told him the truth.
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<center><<button[[Where is Dororo? ->Pragmatic 49]]>><</button>></center> (This is if Hyakkimaru and Jukai are traveling together. Needs a variant where only Hyakki treats the patients.)Jukai rested at a village near the foot of a mountain on his way to Nomitadani Fortress. It was a poor place where farmers eked out a meager living in the cold climate. In the very center of the village, there was a burned farmhouse. Even the ruins of the house appeared neglected.
Jukai had searched the village when he’d first arrived and found no trace of Dororo or Hyakkimaru anywhere. He couldn’t linger in the village since the guards at the Judicial Office had seen his face and were hunting for him. They were hunting for Dororo and Hyakkimaru, too. He prayed that they were safe.
Jukai had called out to meet at the fortress, but that was easier said than done: Nomitadani Fortress was heavily guarded by the Togashi Clan and their retainers.
Jukai took a seat near the burned-out farmhouse and frowned. On closer inspection, he noticed that the fire had not been accidental. Something had been lit on fire and then the fire had been allowed to spread, maybe with oil or another accelerant to help it along.
Some of the people who lived near the burned-out farmhouse came outside. Jukai saw old men, women and children, but no young men. Many of the people had been recently injured and wore bandages on their hands, feet, and faces. Jukai saw remembered fear in their eyes, but they didn't seem wary of Jukai specifically, just strangers in general.
“Were you attacked?” Jukai asked one of the older men.
The old man nodded. “Ashigaru came from the fortress. They’re nothing but liars and murderers. They kill anyone who dares oppose them and burn their homes.”
The villagers told Jukai that the attacks had become more frequent since the fortress’ expansion the previous year.
“I’m a traveling doctor,” Jukai said. “I’ll treat your wounds.”
The villagers smiled. “Thank you,” the old man said. “We could use the help.”
The old man led Jukai to a farmhouse near the burned one and sat down. The house was packed full of people lying so close together that they could scarcely move.
“So many?” Jukai's eyes went wide. The injured people groaned and clutched at their missing arms in legs with faces full of pain. The old man and the village's women tended the wounded here, but there were so many wounded that they were hard-pressed to keep up.
Jukai counted several dozen people laid out in the house. The women and the old man had been treating them without any medicine. The crude wooden floor was bare and stained with blood.
Jukai removed his pack and started preparing his medicines. “Boil water for me, as much as you can. Use clean water, as clean as you can get it. ”
“Uh...yes.” The women who tended the wounded went off to fetch water.
Jukai couldn’t abandon so many people in need. There were some he could do little for--he'd arrived too late for them--but many could still be saved. Treating so many people would take time, at least a few days.
Jukai was worried about Dororo and Hyakkimaru. They would almost certainly reach the fortress before he did. He still decided to stay in the village to treat the people there. There was no other help coming for them but him.
Getting into the fortress without Genkai Namitarō’s help would be a Herculean task. He would use the time in the village to think of another plan.
Jukai spoke to the old man as he set to work. The old man told Jukai that this village was like many others that were within easy reach of the fortress city. Many people had been killed or maimed by the soldiers there since the previous summer, when Lord Daigo Kagemitsu had taken command of the fortress. Builders were constantly going in and out to reinforce the walls and erect new structures. Jukai thought that might provide a way in.
It took five days for Jukai to treat all the injured villagers. He'd made simple prosthetics for all the people missing arms and legs and had treated the ill and infirm as best he could. He taught the old man and the village's women how to make simple medicines so that they would be better equipped to treat their own injured in the future.
The sun was just beginning to set on the fifth day since Jukai’s arrival when the old man rushed up to him.
“Taifu Jukai, there are strange samurai in the village! They just arrived.”
“What?” Jukai went outside. If one of his pursuers from the Judicial Office had found him, it could mean trouble for the village.
Several samurai stood outside the farmhouse. Their clothes were travel-worn and they didn't appear to be from Kaga. They might be from nearby Ezichen or Noto Province. Their faces were deeply tanned.
The old man and the village women peeked out the window of the farmhouse nervously.
Jukai nodded in greeting. “I am a traveling doctor named Jukai. Do you have some business here?”
The leader of the samurai had a tough, no-nonsense attitude. “You don’t need to know our names or any of that shit. ”
“What?” Jukai was stunned by the samurai’s rudeness. These were probably pursuers from the Judicial Office, though Jukai still couldn’t be sure. The samurai had a very unusual accent.
“I’ve given you my name,” Jukai said. “It’s only polite to give me yours.”
“Well, there’s no point arguing about it.” He drew his sword. The other samurai did the same.
“All right.” Jukai drew his own sword. He was only about five steps away from the samurai.
“This is behavior unbefitting of a samurai,” Jukai said. “Why attack an old man?”
The old man the women in the house looked pale. Several couldn’t bear to watch and looked away. Jukai was the only one they could count on to defend them and treat their wounds, and now he would die like so many men of the village had.
Jukai looked the samurai leader in the eyes. The samurai leader stared back, then said calmly, “We’re done here.” The men with him sheathed their swords.
Jukai gaped at the samurai leader in confusion.
“You know much about the Genkai Sea?” the samurai leader asked. His question wasn’t quite polite, but it wasn't rude, either.
“I sailed on it with Genkai Nadaemon many years ago, though he is no longer in this world.”
“Just him?”
“I also sailed with his son, Genkai Namitarō. As far as I know, he still lives.”
The samurai leader and all his men got to their knees and extended their empty hands upward in reverence or supplication. This sudden change of attitude was just as unexpected as their initial attack.
“Please forgive my terrible rudeness,” the samurai leader said. “I mistook you for another. My name is Takenōchi Tokuzō. I’m a messenger of Genkai Namitarō.”
“Namitarō?” Jukai’s eyes lit up. “ So you have a message for me?”
“Yes,” Takenōchi Tokuzō said. “ I was ordered to find you the moment his ship returned from China, but it seems our paths diverged somewhat.”
“I see.” The backs of Jukai’s eyes felt hot. Until now, he wasn’t even sure that Namitarō was still alive.
“His ship is docked near the mouth of the Tedori River,” Takenōchi Tokuzō said. “I’ll take you to him.”
“I can’t leave just now,” Jukai said, glancing back at the old men and the women in the house. “ A lot of people here need help.”
Tokuzō’s face fell. “The ships may not be able to stay there long,” he said. “ The rapids are strong in that place and it’s not well-hidden from enemy ships. There’s a good chance they’ll have to move within the next few days so they don’t attract trouble.”
“I understand,” Jukai said. The Western Army had ships that sailed down the Tedori River frequently. It was only a matter of time before Namitarō’s fleet was discovered. Any enemy could attack the fleet with bombs or fire arrows and sink it.
Jukai nodded. “Let me finish a few preparations here, and I’ll follow you.”
Takenōchi Tokuzō had been sent to Kaga Province to find Jukai after Namitarō had received his letter. He wasn’t the only messenger Namitarō had sent out: three other men were also sent out at the same time, searching for Jukai, Hyakkimaru and Jukai. They were all pirates, not samurai, and they were all skilled at finding people.
When Takenōchi Tokuzō and his men had heard that there was a traveling doctor in the village, they’d made inquiries and decided to test him.
Namitarō traded in many things, but the most important now was gunpowder and shot. Namitarō was known in the area for being a reliable supplier of gunpowder to the Western Army. His intent now was to use his gunpowder to help Jukai and Hyakkimaru level the playing field against the formidable defenses of Nomitadani Fortress, but there was no safe way to do that except in person. Jukai was sure that Namitarō’s supply of gunpowder was in high demand, but he was also sure that Namitarō had brought enough.
Jukai packed his things and said his goodbyes to the old man and the village women and promised he’d return. Then he followed Takenōchi Tokuzō to the Tedori River.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 56]]>><</button>></center>Japan is home to countless islands: some large, some small. Dororo stood on the winding seashore of one of these islands with several horsemen behind him.
The leader of the horsemen looked somewhat strange: he was bearded, wore an eyepatch and never wore any shirt except for one specific haori. It was likely that he'd stolen the haori. He wore a tabard over it to protect it.
Gesturing to Dororo, the leader of the horsemen nodded toward a rocky mountain outcropping that jutted into the surrounding sea. "Dororo, look at that," he said. "That's the Cruel Cape. You can't get to it on land while the tide is low. The only way to get across is by boat."
"Why would I want to get to it?" Dororo asked.
"Don't you know that? They say your dad hid his entire fortune on that cape."
"So? That doesn't have anything to do with me." He was in an unusual mood: he cared more about what was happening to Hyakkimaru than he cared about any amount of treasure. "I don't care about what you guys want. Just take me back, or let me go. I'd rather walk back on foot than be any part of your schemes. Bye!"
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Dororo tried to run off, but a large group of men surrounded him. There was no gap for him to squeeze through: he was trapped.
"Dammit, let me through!" Dororo yelled at the top of his lungs.
The men surrounding him were not impressed. He was tiny and insignificant in comparison to them, and no amount of shouting would change their minds.
"You're starting to piss me off," Dororo said. "I'll escape you yet, just you watch! No one keeps Lord Dororo imprisoned against his will!" Dororo curled up in a ball on the sandy beach, feeling the breeze move up his spine. It was getting closer to winter, and the wind was cold. The men had taken his clothes; he shivered.
The men preventing Dororo's escape grinned down at him with an avaricious glint in their eyes. Dororo looked at them, noting the swords at their hips and the unsavory way that they carried themselves. "Bandits... you're nothing but common bandits!"
"Quiet, you. My name is Itachi.'' The man in the tabard crouched down in front of Dororo. The wind fluttered through his slight beard. "Remember? I'm your father's friend."
Dororo was shocked. "What?"
This guy knows about my dad... It seemed impossible. Dororo was trying to riddle it out when he remembered something his mother had told him.
"Then... then, you're why my dad died... You betrayed him!"
"It’s not my fault alone." Itachi glanced at the other bandits. "I needed help, though not everyone who's here now was there then. I could have used everyone. Your dad was a strong one, brat."
Dororo clenched his small fists. "Damn you!"
"You wouldn't remember, but Hibukuro was too stubborn. Rigid. His rule was that we could kill all the samurai we wanted, but we weren't allowed to touch a peasant--not women, not children, not the old or the sick, nothing. Worse than that, we had to protect those losers from samurai warriors. If we'd kept going that way, we would have all ended up dead."
"That's why you killed him?" Dororo asked.
"No," Itachi said. "That's not why--not the only reason, anyway. He tricked us. He was hiding things from the rest of us and setting money aside for himself in secret."
"That’s a lie!"
"Is it? Hibukuro buried all that money on the Cruel Cape. That's why you're here. He mapped out the location of the treasure on you, his newborn child. There's a burn on your back, isn't there? It's a map, and you're going to show us."
"Ah!" That was why he was naked from the waist up. He fumed at the bandits, outraged at this indignity.
"I see you're finally starting to understand," Itachi said, condescending.
Dororo grumbled. He saw his clothes in a pile nearby and started putting them back on.
"Oh, it's far too late for that," Itachi said. "I've already seen the treasure map." Itachi waved one hand imperiously, pointing to the Cruel Cape. "All right, you bastards, get out of the boat! A treasure trove awaits you across the water!"
The bandits cheered. They didn't know why the cape was named Cruel Cape. Perhaps if they'd thought about that a bit more carefully, they wouldn't have traveled there.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 52]]>><</button>></center>Creak, creak. Creak, creak.
Dororo lay face-down on the deck of a boat, listening to the sound of the oars overhead. When he opened his eyes, the sky was filled with starlight. The eastern horizon brightened as the sunrise approached.
"Dororo... hey, what are you thinking about?" Itachi called out. "Are you planning on taking revenge? Or are you going to join us? Hehe, that would be the smart thing for the son of Hibukuro to do. You'd fit right in with us."
"I don't believe that," Dororo said calmly.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I don't think my dad would have hidden his treasure anywhere. Everyone would have betrayed him to get at it."
"Is that what you really think?" Itachi paused. It looked like he wanted to say something else; his beard twitched. He shouted to the bandits: "Hey! Do you have knotholes for eyes? The cape is over there! If we keep on this heading, we'll be out in the open sea!"
"It's odd, but the boat turned off on its own," one of Itachi's subordinates said.
"What? That's impossible. I see that the sails have changed orientation. The boat can't do that on its own." Itachi looked out at the waves. His eyes widened as he screamed, "Watch out! There's a huge shark underneath us!"
The shark was so large that the boat was resting on its back.
"Gyaaah!" More screams, these coming from the boat that didn't hold Dororo and Itachi. Bandits jumped frantically into the water, splashing and spluttering. A gray tail fin sprang up, parting the water around the sinking boat. The shark swam closer, and Itachi's boat was the only one left to attack.
Itachi froze, paralyzed from shock and indecision. Then he picked up his sword and spear, as if he were trying to outdo the samurai warriors that he'd snatched Dororo from... but this wasn't a samurai battle. Fighting on the open sea was completely different. He gazed out at the Cruel Cape as it got farther and farther away, his own ship listing away from it.
"Hehehehehe!" Dororo was laughing.
"Nothing is funny about this!" Itachi snapped.
"Hehehehehe! I can laugh if I wanna laugh. I never thought I'd see a big grown-up like you shaking like a leaf, huffing and puffing and freaking out. It's just a fish!"
"Just a fish?! Look at the size of it!"
One of the men pointed with a trembling finger. The shark was there, grotesquely huge: grown beyond all natural size. "That's not a fish; it's a monster! Swords and spears won't pierce it. If we attack it, it will overturn the boat. We're sitting ducks. It's only a matter of time before we wind up like the other boat!"
"Sure, sure," Dororo said. "It's a monster. A fish monster." He smiled, took a deep breath, and then roared in a voice twice as large as his small frame, "Hey! You weakling bastards!"
Itachi and his subordinates flinched, covering their ears.
"I'm not bragging or anything, but I've got a lot of experience with monsters. My guess is that you all want the treasure, but you don't want to put in the work for it. Idiots! How will you enjoy it if you don't earn it?!"
"No matter how confident you are against monsters on land, this is the ocean! Humans can't compete with sharks here.''
"Shut up, pumpkin-head. People don't lose to fish on land; why should they lose in the water? And besides: if we lose, we lose. We have to fight to determine the outcome. Perseverance is key. Come on, you old bastards! Keep your heads up and above water!
Dororo cut an imposing figure, standing on the deck with his arms crossed. His charisma radiated like the sun coming up over the horizon.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 53]]>><</button>></center>"Listen! We're gonna lure the shark over here. Someone needs to jump up to the tip of the shark's nose. Then the shark will snap at them and try to eat them. We'll aim for its soft belly while it's distracted. Sharpen your swords, everyone!”
"That's a good idea, but the person who jumps on the shark will be risking their life. Who will do it?'' asked Itachi, who had been listening intently.
"I thought that was obvious," Dororo said. "I'll do it."
“You?” Itachi asked, incredulous. His voice shook.
"If I don't do it, who will? You, Itachi?"
Itachi had nothing to say to that.
"Hehehehehe. Okay then. You asked, I answered. Off I go!" Dororo dived; his small body sank into the waves.
The bandits held their breath and watched. Five seconds, ten seconds... the shadow of the monstrous shark slowed and reversed direction.
"It's coming!"
The shark swam toward Dororo, jumping up and exposing its white belly.
"Now!" Dororo shouted.
Splash, thud, thunk.
Ten of the bandits' swords hit their mark, sinking into the shark's body all the way to the hilt. As blood gushed from the wounds, Itachi cried out, "We got it!"
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 54]]>><</button>></center>
The shark's huge body shuddered, then sank like a stone. Meanwhile, Dororo swam back to the boat and was pulled back on board.
"Hehehehe. You guys did a great job..." He shivered. The water around the Cruel Cape was freezing cold.
Itachi stared at Dororo with open wonder. "That... was amazing."
"All in a day's work," Dororo said, modestly. He wiped his runny nose on the back of his sleeve, then faced the bandits. "We have to row, now! Get to the cape before another shark comes!"
It seemed that Dororo had seized control of the ship and bandits from Itachi in a complete role reversal. No longer a prisoner, Dororo was in command.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 55]]>><</button>></center>
Itachi and Dororo climbed up the cliff that towered over the Cruel Cape.
"So this is the place, huh? My father's treasure is hidden at the top, right?" Dororo asked.
"There's no need to sound so suspicious. I'm sure that Hibukuro hid it there. You'll see for yourself soon enough."
The cliff was shrouded in mist; it was so high that it seemed to stretch above the clouds. Suddenly, the mist parted, revealing an empty clear space.
Itachi looked around, then pointed triumphantly at a large rock. "There it is!"
The rock was marked with peculiar scratches. "It's the same as the burn on your back," Itachi said.
Itachi quickly dug with his hands, revealing a large clay jar. "This must be it: the treasure that Hibukuro hid away." He opened the lid on the jar with a powerful pull.
"Ah!" Dororo gasped.
"W-why?" Itachi asked, stunned.
The inside of the clay jar was completely empty.
"That's... that's impossible!" Itachi lifted the lid all the way off the jar. There was writing inside. He read it out: "In April, we will give three pieces of gold to the Yabuki Village. In June, we will give two pieces of gold and five pieces of silver to the Miyoshidani peasants. In July..." After reading that far, Itachi no longer had the heart to continue.
Dororo jumped up in the air. "I see. Dad didn’t keep the treasure for himself. He shared it with the poor and kept it hidden from you bastards."
Ironically, Itachi had mounted his assault on the island just after all the money that Hibukuro had set aside was spent.
"Hehehehe! Look at that! You should never have used my dad to try to betray me. You all were gonna steal from the poor and starving--you would have killed them with your greed! Dad was giving out what he got to make life easier for everyone. Damn you all for ruining everything!"
The ground rumbled under Dororo's feet as he yelled at Itachi.
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"Ah!" Itachi cried out. He was looking down at the shore, where dozens of soldiers were hunting down his fellow bandits. Little by little, the treacherous waters were receding around the cape. For less than an hour a day in what is now Chiba Prefecture, it is possible to walk to the Cruel Cape from shore. The soldiers must have come across during that short time; even now, the narrow road they'd taken was being lapped at by the waves.
"Kill them! Don't leave a single one of them alive!"
Lord Makuwa was in command from the rear. He'd swum much of the way, escaping from the giant shark and barely making it to the cape. He'd discovered the bandits there and captured one. The bandit had informed him about the treasure that Hibukuro had hidden. He'd called in reinforcements when it was possible to walk to the Cruel Cape overland, and now the attack was in full force.
"There are too many of them!" Itachi said. He grimaced in disgust at Lord Makuwa and the soldiers. Nearly half of the bandits had been killed by the shark attack; their numbers at half-strength were no match for Lord Makuwa's forces. Only ten bandits were still fighting on the beach.
"The treasure is above us!" Lord Makuwa called out. "Retrieve it, men!"
Some of the soldiers, encouraged by Lord Makuwa's shout, started climbing up the cliff.
"What?" Itachi froze still, trapped in a dilemma. He was the leader here. He had to continue the fight. His men defended themselves, running around the rocky area near shore. The soldiers pursued. Every time they swung their swords, they were guaranteed to hit one of their enemies.
"Shibuto, Yatsume! They're using bows! Get down!"
There was the thrum of bowstrings being released; arrows rained on the bandits. Most of the bandits were running up the cliff, so the arrows were shot from below them. That made it easier to dodge. Itachi himself dodged the first five or six arrows, but eventually he was hit: once in the stomach, once in the shoulder.
"I'll stay with you, you old fart." Dororo kicked away the stones around them, standing over Itachi protectively. The stones rolled down the cliff, echoing all the way.
One stone knocked two others loose, and those two stones knocked four more loose. Before long, Dororo's kicked stones formed an avalanche that slid down the cliff face.
"Gyaaah!"
"Gah!"
"Whoa!"
This attack was quite successful, but it didn't sweep away everyone. The smarter soldiers moved out of range of the falling stones, escaping harm. That included some of the archers, who continued shooting.
"Dororo, that's enough, you just hide there," Itachi said, breathing harshly into his shoulder.
"Why? What the heck's wrong with you?" Dororo's cheek had been grazed by an arrow; he was bleeding.
"Because I don't want you to die," Itachi said gravely. "If I save you, maybe the weight of my crimes will be lighter. Listen to me, Dororo. Don't look at what I'm about to do."
Itachi pushed Dororo behind a rock, then brandished his sword so that Lord Makuwa and the other soldiers would see him.
"Oh my gods... this is Itachi's last fight!" Dororo said.
The two arrows stuck in Itachi glinted as he moved. He slashed at the soldiers climbing up the cliff, once after another, but of course he couldn't kill them all. Another arrow pierced Itachi's neck, and he fell.
"Gah!"
For a few moments, Itachi remained standing with the arrow poking out.
"I... that's it for me." Itachi's eyes clouded over, becoming completely white. He turned his head toward the rock where Dororo was hidden and whispered, "Goodbye."
Stones were still rolling down the cliff face. Itachi let out a scream, raising his voice to let Hibukuro know that he was coming to see him in hell. Itachi's body fell from the cliff like a stone, into the crowd of soldiers below.
"Ah, Itachi!" Dororo jumped out, forgetting himself.
Itachi landed on the ground with a dull thump. He didn't move.
Dororo bit his lip. "Everybody's dead... everyone..."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Brutal 57]]>><</button>></center> Nomitadani Fortress was situated near a gorge cut by the Tedori River. Steep cliffs surrounded it on both sides, giving it a high vantage point relative to the surrounding area. Any attackers would be seen before they advanced, and they would have to do most of their fighting uphill.
A wide swath of forest had been cut down recently for use in building up the fortress’ defenses. By road, it wasn’t far from Kaga’s main Judicial Office at all. If Hyakkimaru hurried, he could make it all the way there in less than four days.
But Hyakkimaru couldn’t approach the fortress so brazenly. It was of old construction, built on a vast and sprawling scale out of stone with reinforced earthwork. Hyakkimaru could tell that the design took good advantage of the terrain, even at this distance. There were wooden walls on top of the earthwork fortifications with gaps large enough for archers to shoot through. Large stones hung suspended in nets from the walls that could be dropped on attackers to crush them. The front and back gates leading into the fortress had been fenced off. Both were constantly guarded.
It would be difficult for Hyakkimaru to sneak in without being killed.
Mountain fortresses of this kind were common in Kaga and the provinces surrounding it. Nomitadani Fortress had been built by local carpenters and farmers who’d been executed as soon as construction was complete so that they couldn’t reveal the secrets of the fortress’ design to any enemies.
Nomitadani Fortress was under considerable threat, and had been since the start of the Ōnin War. Kaga Province was ruled by the Togashi Clan, which supported the Eastern Army. Asakura Takakage’s army was to the south, in Ezichen Province, while the Hatakeyama Clan’s army was to the north in Noto Province. Both the Asakura Clan and the Hatakeyama Clan supported the Western Army, so the fortress was sandwiched between enemy armies. To make things worse, the Togashi Clan was also in the midst of a civil war, and skirmishes between local samurai and foot soldiers were common. Nomitadani Fortress was at the heart of it all, sleepless, vigilant, and all but besieged.
Bandits had attacked the fortress recently. Buddhists of the Pure Land Sect and farmers from nearby villages became sick of their impoverished, unsafe conditions and were planning an uprising. Most were willing to welcome Asakura Takakage and the Western Army with open arms if he finally brought an end to the fighting.
But--strange to say--Asakura Takakage did not attack Kaga, even though his army was more than large enough to overwhelm Nomitadani Fortress and completely conquer the surrounding area. People speculated about what he intended to do, but all he actually did was sit in his fortress at Ichijōdani and wait.
Because of Nomitadani Fortress’ strategic location, it was used as a hub to coordinate the defense of the entire province. Togashi Masachika sent orders from his family’s castle, Takō Fortress, to Nomitadani Fortress and Yamagō Takafuji at Yamagō Fortress. Since Nomitadani was between these two important castles, messages and supplies often traveled through it from both of them.
That the Daigo Clan was in charge of Nomitadani Fortress spoke to how much Togashi Masachika trusted and relied on Daigo Kagemitsu. The fortress was too important to be entrusted to anyone who was not inflexibly loyal to the Togashi Clan.
<center><<button[[Where is Dororo? ->Pragmatic 50]]>><</button>></center>
Dororo rode into the gorge close to the fortress next to Ochika. His jaw dropped when the fortress came into view. “Wow! Is that really a castle? It’s huge!”
“That’s why you shouldn’t go,” Ochika chided gently. “Your aniki and taifu will probably say the same thing when they see it.”
“But we decided to meet here,” Dororo said. “They’re probably waiting for me.”
Jukai had called out for them to meet at the fortress before they were separated, but Dororo didn’t know exactly where he and Hyakkimaru would be or when they would arrive.There hadn’t been time to come up with a more precise plan while they were escaping from the Judicial Office’s guards.
Dororo worried that Hyakkimaru and Jukai had arrived before him and were inside the fortress already, but he had no proof of that.
Ochika pulled up on the reins of her horse and turned around. “We can’t linger here for long,” she said. “The fortress has eyes. I’ll return tomorrow to check on you. If you haven’t found your aniki by then, I’ll bring you back to stay with us.”
“I’m not leaving,” Dororo said with a glare. “I just got here.”
Ochika sighed. “I’ll only bring you back if I find you here when I return. You can’t be thinking of breaking into the fortress on your own.”
“I’ll get in,” Dororo said. “Even if I’m alone, I’ll do it.”
“What?” Ochika’s shoulders set in refusal. “Give up on that. It’s impossible.”
“I won’t give up and you can’t make me.”
“You have to listen to me,” Ochika said, using the same tone as a mother scolding her child.
“Huh?” Dororo tilted his head at her, puzzled.
Ochika shook her head a little, then said, “Dororo, please. It’s too dangerous. You mustn’t do it.”
“Then maybe you should stay with me for a while and show me around,” Dororo said.
Ochika considered for a moment, then nodded. “All right. But we’re only looking. We’re not sneaking in.”
Ochika and Dororo came out of the gorge onto a narrow mountain trail that slanted steeply uphill. The fortress was so huge and built at so many different elevations that it was difficult to take all of it in at once.
There was no sign of Hyakkimaru or Jukai anywhere. Dororo started to worry that they’d gone ahead without him. It was his fault that they’d been separated. He wanted to be useful and make it up to them, but he couldn’t do that if they’d left him behind.
“It’s like I thought,” Dororo said after a while. “I can’t tell anything about this place from the outside. I have to go in.” He snorted. “If I can’t go in through the front, I’ll just have to go in the back.”
“You won’t be able to enter the fortress without a pass,” Ochika said. “Besides, you’re a child.”
“Don’t underestimate me.” Dororo scowled. Being a child was sometimes an advantage. He had bet that Asakura Mitsuhisa wouldn’t kill a child and attacked his horse, and that action had gotten him and Hyakkimaru into Ichijōdani. This fortress was more heavily guarded, but that didn’t mean there was no way in.
Ochika understood that Dororo was determined to get into the fortress no matter how dangerous it was. Instead of trying to dissuade Dororo again, Ochika said, “There may be a way in, but it’s very risky and has a low probability of success.”
“Tell me,” Dororo said, fixing Ochika with serious and intense eyes. “I’ll make it succeed.”
Ochika looked at Dororo’s determined face, feeling jealous of Dororo’s devotion to Hyakkimaru. She hadn’t told Dororo the truth, but she was still Dororo’s mother and couldn’t help but love her child. Seeing Dororo love and depend on someone else made her heart ache with remembered pain.
Dororo’s loyalty to someone else made Ochika jealous, but she also recognized it. She and Hibukuro had been entirely loyal to one another and had risked everything, including their lives, to avenge themselves on cruel samurai and to protect their child. She couldn't fault Dororo for something she came by honestly.
Ochika’s love for Dororo was equally sincere. She didn’t intend to let Dororo out of her sight until they found Hyakkimaru and Jukai.
“Are you sure you want to try this, Dororo?”
Dororo’s eyes lit up. “We won’t try. We’ll do it.”
“I have a plan, but you have to follow it perfectly. Can you do that?”
“Of course I can.”
“I’ll get you in tonight, when it’s dark,” Ochika said. “Find out everything you can. I’ll be waiting for you here at dawn.”
Dororo nodded.
“If they find you, run through the back gate and jump off the cliff. There’s a deep pool at the bottom of it, so if you jump, you won’t die.”
Dororo nodded again.
Ochika turned her horse again and began making preparations to enter the fortress.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 51]]>><</button>></center>Nomitadani Fortress was lit as bright as day even in the middle of the night. Patrolling guards carried torches; torches and braziers were built along every wall and gate. Guards gripped their spears and kept careful watch.
Dororo approached the back gate, dressed as a girl from a merchant family. Her1 dark hair was loose and the sleeves of her kimono were long and flowing. She wore a kind, sweet expression.
There was a thick fence of lashed-together logs blocking the rear gate of the fortress. The fence could be shifted to let carts in and out. It was shifted to the side now to allow an ox cart to leave the fortress. The guards on the gate paid extra attention to their surroundings as the cart left.
Dororo took advantage of the guards’ brief distraction to slip through a gap in the fence.
She hadn’t gone ten steps before a young guard sprinted up to her, spear held high. “Oi, you there! Stop!”
Dororo stopped still and stuck her tongue out a little. “Whoops, you’ve found me. What will you do with me now?”
Dororo showed no fear. To all appearances, she was someone who had sneaked outside the fortress from the inside.
“We can’t be lax with the security around here,” the guard said. “Show me your pass, miss.”
Dororo shrugged helplessly. “I lost it.”
“It’s more likely that you’re trying to leave without permission,” the guard muttered. “Whose guild are you with?”
“The Manzō Carpenter’s Guild,” she said nervously.
“Never heard of it, but there are tons of you lot inside. Hm.” The guard thought for a moment. “Who’s your lord? Manzō?”
“Yes, but he left in a hurry,” she said. “I wanted to follow him, and--”
“--you can’t,” the guard said, cutting her off. “No one is allowed out of the gate without a pass! I’ll need to have a messenger go inside and get it for you.”
Dororo’s lower lip trembled. She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands.
An older guard heard the commotion and rushed up to Dororo and the young guard. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked.
“This woman is trying to leave without a pass,” the young guard said.
“Now, miss, you know that’s not allowed,” the older man said. “Go along back inside. If you want to leave, bring your pass next time.”
Dororo sniffed, then looked up a little. “A-all right. I will.” She was still crying as the older guard escorted her past the fence and through the back gate of the fortress.
“Thank you,” Dororo said.
After the guards left Dororo alone, he stuck his tongue out. “Ha! Fooled you.”
He hid behind a storage shed, removing the kimono and putting his hair back into a topknot.
“There, that’s better.”
Ochika was the one who had dressed Dororo as a girl. She had also coached Dororo on how to act like one. She’d claimed that the guards would be more lenient with a girl than a boy.
Seeing Dororo dressed as the beautiful girl she was born as touched Ochika deeply. Dororo didn’t have the slightest inkling of his mother’s feelings and changed out of the flowing kimono as soon as possible. Boys’ clothes were easier to move in.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 52]]>><</button>></center>Dororo had until dawn to figure out as much as he could about this place. He wasted no time, dashing out from behind the storage shed to look around. He kept to the shadows as much as he could, though this was difficult. The narrow streets of the fortress were lit as well as the gates and walls were. He saw guards, patrolling soldiers, and merchants in the street selling their wares. The guards and soldiers were vigilant against threats from the outside, so Dororo was able to move freely.
He was able to find the main fortress without much trouble. A wide street led to it, fenced off and brightly lit just like the back gate. All of the outbuildings surrounded it in neat, much narrower streets.
The gate to the fortress looked the same as the one Dororo had entered through, but the walls surrounding it were much higher and thicker, made of a special kind of impact-resistant clay. The core of the walls was likely stone. This was the most vital part of the fortress, and the most heavily defended.
The wide street was lined with ashigaru and more guards. Dororo saw inns, shops, warehouses and silos for storing rice and grain. There were huts behind the silos and inns where merchants and other people of the fortress town lived. Going straight along the street would take Dororo into a sheltered grove where the main fortress was built. That was where the military governor and his family lived. If Daigo Kagemitsu was anywhere, he was there.
Hills rose to the east of the main fortress building. They were dark with trees. Dororo saw no torchlight there. Slipping through there might be feasible, but even if he got in, he didn’t see any way of getting out again. The main fortress building and the fortress town were ringed around with stone walls that were impossible for him to climb.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 53]]>><</button>></center>Dororo didn’t know it, but Nomitadani Fortress was laid out like typical Chinese fortresses and castles. It was difficult for anyone inside to leave, and it was equally difficult for anyone outside to enter in. Merchants bringing food and supplies always used the back gate, usually in the evening. The community inside the fortress was very insular. If Dororo stayed for too long, people would realize that he was an outsider.
The guards patrolling the walls all carried bows. Dororo couldn’t even climb them to escape if he got into trouble; those archers would finish him off easily. He felt boxed in and trapped.
Dororo hated to come this far and not go all the way in, but he understood the foolishness of such an attempt. He saw some smaller buildings south of the main fortress in the woods that were probably residences for the Daigo Clan. He was just starting to creep closer when he noticed dim light to the east.
The sun was rising. Dororo had to get out of here. He wouldn’t be able to find out more on his own even if he had all day, anyway. He found a low wall in the direction of the rear gate and climbed over it, landing behind the main fortress building on the other side.
[ADD DOG HERE]
“Who’s there?” a man called out in the half-darkness. Dororo hadn’t noticed him before jumping down. He was an ashigaru, still in his cups from the looks of it, clutching a spear. He wasn’t standing near a torch. Dororo guessed that he was off-duty and had decided to go drinking.
In the split second it took for Dororo to realize he’d been seen, he started running.
“Stranger on the grounds! Don’t let them escape!” the ashigaru called out. The voices of more ashigaru and guards called back to him.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 54]]>><</button>></center>Dororo dashed into the gap between two buildings. He heard the echoes of voices calling out to one another all around. The street was suddenly full of ashigaru and common soldiers.
Dororo regretted running and calling attention to his hiding place, but it was too late to take back what he’d done. He might have been able to bluff his way out if he’d remained dressed as a girl. A boy running away was more suspicious than a girl doing the same thing.
Dororo had no choice but to flee from this place before he was completely surrounded. He sprinted out from between the buildings, then stopped dead when he encountered an ashigaru with his spear leveled at him. He changed direction to avoid the spear, hearing the ashigaru chasing after him. He didn’t dare look over his shoulder.
“You can’t run, brat,” the ashigaru spat.
Dororo shot a dart into his shoulder with his blowgun. The ashigaru grunted, stumbling to his knees.
“Stop!” More ashigaru ran up behind their fallen comrade. They were gaining on Dororo. He shot a dart into the closest ashigaru’s thigh, making him fall and trip several of the men behind him. Another ashigaru ran alongside Dororo and stabbed.
The point of the ashigaru’s spear passed between Dororo’s thighs. His legs got caught on the spear and he fell--which was still better than being run through.
By the time Dororo sprang to his feet, he was completely surrounded by ashigaru. There was no place left to run, so Dororo surrendered. He sat down and stayed quiet while the ashigaru bound his hands behind his back.
A rider approached, leading several other men on horseback behind him in a line. The rider gripped his spear strongly and looked down at Dororo with a severe expression. He was a young man, not much more than fifteen or sixteen years old. His eyes were large for his face; this effect was exacerbated by his unusually thin eyebrows. His face was very pale and his build was more wiry than muscular. It was obvious from his bearing and his clothes that he was a lord.
“You dodged that spear brilliantly,” the young lord said.
Dororo snorted. “I think I need more practice.” Dororo gave the lord a bold, fearless smile.
“Were you trying to sneak into the fortress? Well done. You nearly made it. What is your name, boy?”
“I’m Lord Dororo. Remember it.”
The young lord laughed. “I see you’re also skilled at playing the fool. Are you one of the Asakura Clan’s spies?”
“I am a crow at dawn,” Dororo said.
The young lord was nearing the end of his patience. “You are clever, but insolent,” he said.
“You have mood swings,” Dororo said. “Smiling one minute, frowning the next.”
“Kill him,” the young lord commanded.
One of the riders rushed to obey, but another called out in a loud voice, “Lord Tahōmaru, please reconsider. This boy matches the description of one of the people to infiltrated the province’s Judicial Office. He should be questioned before execution.”
Lord Tahōmaru considered for a moment, then nodded. “Interesting. There’s obviously more to you than meets the eye, boy.” He turned his horse a little and rode off. The ashigaru who’d captured Dororo all bowed their heads to him.
<i>Who is this Tahōmaru guy, anyway?</i>
He seemed to have high status within the fortress. Dororo stared at his retreating back in fascination as he rode away.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 55]]>><</button>></center>Although the trees in the mountain forest were sprouting new green buds, the cold wind at sunset carried a hint of snow. Hyakkimaru rode through the forest on horseback. Just before the light failed, Nomitadani Fortress came into view in the distance.
Hyakkimaru looked up at the fortress, frowning in disappointment. The fortress was less than half an hour away from Asakura Mitsuhisa’s army camp at the temple, but it had taken Hyakkimaru three days to get here, avoiding patrols and the eyes of the fortress’ lookouts.
Despite the delay, Hyakkimaru didn’t see Jukai or Dororo anywhere. He had consoled himself during the too-long, frustrating journey by thinking that he would find them again, but they still weren’t here.
Sometimes, Hyakkimaru saw lines of armored troops leaving and entering the fortress, but he had never seen any of their commanders or generals.
<i>Does Daigo Kagemitsu not show himself openly in front of his men? Why?</i>
Daigo Kagemitsu was one of Togashi Masachika’s most honored and trusted generals. It made sense that he wouldn’t agree to see someone insignificant with no clan name like Hyakkimaru, but if he was a military commander, he should ride out with his troops at least once in a while.
But he didn’t, and Hyakkimaru still didn’t know how to get inside the fortress. It was always kept under strict guard. If he went in the front gate with merchants and travelers, he would still have the problem of getting inside the fortress where the Daigo Clan lived. If he was caught sneaking inside the fortress, he’d be killed on the spot.
He could probably use psychokinesis to get in, but he refused. He never used psychokinesis on humans if there was any other choice.
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BRIDGE TO BRUTAL
Genkai Namitarō completed his voyage in the southern Sea of Japan and returned to Karatsu at the beginning of April. He’d received Jukai’s letter and had rushed home as soon as possible.
Jukai and Namitarō had known one another for a very long time. When Jukai’s father Hisamaro found himself hunted by the shogunate in 1409, he’d sailed to Karatsu with Genkai Nadaemon, Namitarō’s father. Jukai and Namitarō were close in age and became as close as brothers during the long months Jukai and his father had spent in Karatsu.
Hisamaro had defied the shogunate because of the shōgun’s refusal to investigate his wife’s brutal murder. A mysterious band had hunted Hisamaro until they’d finally killed him. Jukai still didn’t know who’d done it, but his father’s dying wish had put him on his life’s path.
Jukai had sailed to China with Nadaemon and Namitarō to learn medicine from Gōshō, a Chinese physician. He and Namitarō had become sworn brothers before he’d left. Jukai had spent many years learning how to craft prosthetic limbs from Gōshō. Then, he’d traveled around the world with Zheng He, the famous Chinese diplomat and explorer. It was during those years that Jukai had gained most of his practical experience with surgery.
After that, Jukai had studied with Yōda on Mount Wutai for twelve years to unlock the secrets of creating prosthetic limbs that would move like real ones. This was the foundational ability of psychokinesis.
All told, Jukai had studied medicine in China for thirty-eight years. He finally returned home to Japan on Namitarō’s pirate ship. Namitarō had become captain of the ship after his father’s death.
After Jukai’s return to Japan, Namitarō had arranged for him to live on an old estate on Mount Kurama. He’d also assisted Jukai by providing supplies to raise Hyakkimaru and, when Hyakkimaru was older, to equip him with weapons. He’d given Hyakkimaru the Muramasa sword as a gift just before Hyakkimaru had left Mount Kurama to go searching for his birth father. Hyakkimaru had learned to use the sword in both the traditional way and psychokinetically. The sword could channel energy at demons and evil spirits.
Namitarō was stunned by what he read in Jukai’s letter. It was incredibly dangerous for Jukai and Hyakkimaru to travel through Kaga Province, which was an active warzone, to find Lord Daigo Kagemitsu. What was worse, Namitarō had exhausted his supplies of gunpowder and shot, through battles of his own and because he’d sold some as cargo. He knew that fire was a very effective weapon against demons, but he didn’t have time to gather more gunpowder if he wanted to intercept Jukai and Hyakkimaru before they left for Kaga.
Namitarō decided to sail north to China to buy gunpowder, then sail south again and land in a port in Ezichen or Kaga Province. He was the captain, but his crew was exhausted from their previous long journey and didn’t want to go along with the plan. Namitarō wanted to compromise as he usually did with his crew, but Jukai was his sworn brother. He couldn’t sit idly by and not help him.
He also understood Hyakkimaru’s eagerness to find what he was looking for. Namitarō was a sailor through and through, as his father Nadaemon had been. That meant he’d been raised on the sea to be strong, brave, and to follow his heart.
Namitarō stood on the deck of the ship that had once been his father’s. It was comforting and familiar. The estate on Mount Kurama had easy access to the Genkai Sea to the north. It had also been his father’s property and had passed to Namitarō after his death. He and his crew lived in a village on Karatsu, but it was good to have multiple properties for smuggling purposes. It was also easier to coordinate voyages and buy supplies in familiar areas.
Namitarō called his officers together on the main deck of his ship before they disembarked. His tense expression made many of the officers glance at one another in confusion or alarm.
When the officers were all assembled, he said, “I know you’re all exhausted after the long voyage, but we must set out again, not to foreign seas, but to Kaga Province. Don’t try to argue with me because I won’t hear it. This is my command, and I will see it carried out.”
“Captain, who’s our enemy? The Eastern Army or the Western Army?” one of the officers asked.
Some of the other officers shouted the same question.
In a voice pitched to carry, Namitarō said, “Our enemy is demons.”
“Demons?”
The officers laughed. “So we’re going to kill demons, now?”
“Never seen ‘em before. Do we know they exist?”
“How much’ll we get paid?”
“Everyone knows demons are just old wives’ tales.”
Namitarō grinned wolfishly. As expected, he would have to explain himself. “Listen. My older brother’s in Kaga Province right now. He does a lot of good for the world, healing the sick and helping those in need. He hates samurai as much as we do and is traveling through Kaga with his son. His son is my only nephew. I can’t let them go off and fight demons without me. I ain’t no coward, and they need our firepower if they’re gonna win. Demons are weak against fire.”
Namitarō’s officers raised their hands.
“We’re with you,” one said, “like we always are.”
“We swore to follow you to the end and die on the sea,” said another.
Namitarō felt hot tears stinging the backs of his eyes. “We might have to fight on land,” he said. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but there it is.”
“Land means loot,” an officer said.
“Your family is our family, captain. None of us is staying behind.”
The other officers clapped in approval at this sentiment. Namitarō looked out at all of them proudly. They’d never seen a demon before, but they weren’t afraid to fight them at his order. And they were all brave, strong men and experienced fighters. Jukai and Hyakkimaru could definitely use their help.
“Well, thanks,” he said brusquely, but it was obvious that he was almost crying. These men had been with him for years or decades. None of them had ever disobeyed an order before.
Namitarō sent out Takenōchi Tokuzō, along with the other messengers, to intercept Jukai and let him know that he was coming before his fleet left for China.
***
The next day, Namitarō raised sail and prepared his three ships for departure from Karatsu. His crew numbered something like eighty men, all battle-hardened sea veterans. They were armored with tub-sided samurai cuirasses1 and armed with longswords hanging from their hips.
The Genkai Sea was rough at this time of year. Namitarō and his men had to go around some bad weather, which took a few extra days. All told, it took Namitarō’s ships nine days to reach the mouth of the Yangtze River, sailing west against the current to land at port. Namitarō sought out his black market supplier, Ryo Botto, to buy gunpowder. Ryo specialized in goods pertaining to armor and warfare. He had acquired most of the swords that Namitarō and his crew carried. He’d also sold large quantities of saltpeter and gunpowder to Namitarō before, which Namitarō had then passed on to Jukai.
Emperor Zhu Jianshen currently ruled China. During the early part of his administration, he’d carried out new government policies to reduce taxes and promote peace. He was generally hands-off as a ruler, leaving governmental affairs in the hands of eunuchs. Peasant uprisings were occurring throughout the country that were violently suppressed, largely without his interference.
Emperor Zhu Jianshen’s reign was also more autocratic than his predecessors' had been. Freedom was sharply curtailed. The Emperor established the Western Depot, which monitored all citizens' actions and words. The Western Depot punished people they suspected of treason, which included pirates. Namitarō hadn’t been in port for two days before the Emperor’s spies came sniffing around.
Namitarō didn’t want to get in a fight with them; his only enemies were samurai and the shōgun. Namitarō usually traded for goods like food and medicine in China, which he gave away free to the poor, as his father had done. He could fight, but he was not a warlike man and he despised men who attacked the innocent.
Unfortunately, Ryo didn’t have any gunpowder to sell. “A lot of it gets directed my way, but it goes out the door as soon as it comes in,” he said. “I don’t have any at the moment.”
“I can wait for ten days,” Namitarō said. “Give me everything you can acquire by then.” He wanted—no, needed—gunpowder more than anything. Jukai wanted it, and Namitarō wouldn’t go to him without it.
“Understood,” Ryo said. “I’ll get as much as I can in that time.”
Ryo was a reliable supplier. Namitarō hoped that he’d be able to get him what he needed in that time.
Most gunpowder was manufactured in Musashi Province. There was a popular new formula for it that was used for new weapons like hand cannons. Most of Namitarō’s crew had never seen hand cannons before, so Ryo demonstrated their use on the deck of Namitarō’s ship after he made his delivery.
“Amazing! The enemy will never see it coming,” one of his officers said.
In ten days, Ryo managed to acquire forty guns, three thousand six hundred bullets, a hundred and sixty wide-mouthed cannons, six hundred and twenty hand cannons, approximately three hundred bombs, and nine tons of gunpowder. Namitarō was stunned when he listed off his inventory. China really was the place to go for firearms.
The weapon that impressed Namitarō’s crew most was known as the General’s Cannon,2 an enormously heavy gun that had to be attached to the side of the ship for it to function. The General’s Cannon could fire large projectiles at targets up to two miles away. More than three hundred cannons of this kind had been manufactured in the year 1465 alone.
Ryo was obviously proud of his restocking efforts. “These bullets have a range of eight hundred strides,” he said. “The General’s Cannon uses ammunition that explodes on impact, so it can take out up to two hundred enemies at once. It’s really a shame that I was only able to acquire one.”
Namitarō purchased the General’s Cannon immediately. He had it mounted to wheels so that it could be easily maneuvered aboard ship and on land. Even demons should fear such a terrifying weapon. He’d heard from Jukai that demons were weak to fire, including explosives and gunfire.
Namitarō also purchased gunpowder and most of the small bombs Ryo had in stock. These bombs were similar to the ones Hyakkimaru and Dororo had used before. The sound of them alone was enough to spook most warriors on horseback and scatter enemies on a battlefield. They were also convenient for him and his crew to carry. For the same reason, Namitarō bought each of his men a smaller hand cannon and enough ammunition to keep them all supplied for quite some time.
Namitarō bought flares from Ryo as well, in case any of his ships got lost at sea or ran into a problem and needed to signal for help. He bought fireworks to use as a distraction in battle, since not every situation required bombs and he wanted to make his fleet’s firepower last. Fireworks could easily be mistaken for gunfire and demoralize and enemy. There were legends that an invading Mongol army had been chased away from Korea in 1231 by a small army that set off fireworks. The kind of bomb that Dororo had made and used to set fire to the bandit Korikuma’s hut was a modified firework. Jukai had learned to make them in China.
Namitarō and his crew were all familiar with explosives and firearms, but the hand cannons and the General’s Cannon were completely new to them. Ryo grinned as he helped them load up the ships, demonstrating each new feature or function of the weapons they’d bought. When most of the cargo was loaded, Ryo brought over another type of firework for Namitarō’s inspection. “I’m curious to see what you’ll think of this,” Ryo said.
The firework was a hollow bamboo tube with a carved wooden dragon head and a tail about five feet long. “I’ve heard that dragons can fly, but I thought they breathed water, not fire,” Namitarō said.
“This one breathes fire,” Ryo said, still smiling. “It’s called huolongchushui3, ‘fire dragon issuing from the water.’ With this, you can eliminate many enemies at once from a distance without using arrows.”
One of Namitarō’s officers appeared skeptical. “How can it kill many men at once without using arrows or bullets?” he asked.
“The front and rear of the dragon have four rockets packed with gunpowder that will allow the dragon to fly,” Ryo explained. “These four fuses are linked with the ones inside the dragon's belly. Just before the four rockets on the outside burn out, they will light the fuses of much smaller arrow rockets hidden inside the rear of the dragon. There are hundreds of these arrow rockets inside. They will shoot out of the dragon’s mouth like a rain of fire arrows.”
The officer’s eyebrows rose. “Hundreds of arrows? Really?”
“Nothing can stand against it,” Ryo said. “Not soldiers, and not demons.”
“Assuming demons even exist,” the officer muttered.
Namitarō smiled. Most of his crew didn’t believe in demons, but Namitarō believed what Jukai had written in his letter. Jukai seemed genuinely afraid of what he called the Hall of Hell demons. Namitarō purchased as much firepower as he could in the hope that something he brought to Kaga would be effective against Jukai’s enemies.
By the time the gunpowder, firearms and fireworks were all loaded onto Namitarō’s ships, it was the end of April. His fleet set sail for Japan a few days later.
I’m coming, Jukai and Hyakkimaru. Stay safe until I get there.
Namitarō prayed for Jukai’s safety every night during the voyage. The fleet made good time because the wind blew from the east, pushing the ships easily toward their destination. Noto Province’s peninsula came into view late on the fifth day after the fleet’s departure from China. Namitarō docked his ships on the banks of the Tedori River and came to shore with his men.
The anchors were scarcely secure when the sunset sky clouded over. Lightning flashed in the clouds overhead. Thunderstorms weren’t exactly rare in Noto Province at this time of year, but this didn’t have the feel of a typical winter storm.
Namitarō glared up at the sky. It looked frightening, but it wasn’t raining. The gray clouds dissipated, revealing an enormous black cloud behind them that blotted out all light. It was as dark as midnight. Namitarō’s crew didn’t understand what was happening and started running back and forth on the ship decks.
“What is this,” Namitarō muttered, “some kind of natural disaster? An act of god?”
Lightning struck the shore close to Namitarō’s ships. It was followed by a loud boom of thunder that shook the ground. Namitarō and his crew were accustomed to weathering storms at sea, but Namitarō couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something distinctly unnatural about this storm. Jukai had written that the Hall of Hell demons could use lightning in his letter.
The black cloud overhead formed into the face of a gleefully laughing demon.
“Aaaah!” Namitarō’s officers screamed. Some of them fainted at the sight of such a terrifying apparition. None of them had ever seen a demon before, and this one was hideous and obviously powerful. But Namitarō’s crew were sailors on the Genkai Sea: tough and disciplined. The men who hadn’t fainted drew their weapons and prepared to fight.
“Captain,” an officer called out, “is that a demon?”
Namitarō squinted up at the demon. “Bad luck,” he shouted. “Looks like the boss demon’s interested in us, boys.”
Namitarō showed no fear, which made his men steadier. They hadn’t expected this kind of attack, but they were familiar with fighting in general. If Namitarō didn’t call a retreat, they would stand their ground.
“We do not tolerate interference,” the demon said pompously in a voice that echoed across the surface of the Tedori River. “Turn back now, and we may let you live.”
“How polite of you to come to greet us, Mr. Demon,” Namitarō said. “We’ve been expecting you.”
The pirates lit the fuses on their hand cannons, shooting fire into the sky. The demon remained calm, showing no sign of distress. “Hahahahaha... If this is how you choose to die, so be it.”
The demon’s face disappeared from the clouds. An enormous pillar of water rose out of the ocean and traveled up the Tedori River to where Namitarō’s ships were docked. The ships tipped all the way over before the pirates could even react. Men clung to the rigging or were tossed overboard by the force of the water. Many of the hand cannons flew overboard, too, sinking to the bottom of the river.
Namitarō gripped his sail for dear life and shouted, “All men who can, shoot!”
The hand cannons broke up the water pillar into a cresting wave. The demon came into view: a gargantuan sea creature with the beaked head of an octopus and the body of a soft-shelled turtle. Hard white barnacles encrusted the turtle shell. The sea monster’s limbs were lithe and long for swimming. It approached Namitarō’s ship with surprising speed.
This Hall of Hell demon had begun its existence as a yōkai or onryō of rage, sleeping on the sea floor until it was called to do its duty to protect its own kind. It had attacked many humans voyaging over the sea before, including pirates.
The sea monster spat water from its mouth, drenching the sails of two ships and breaking their main masts. More pirates were pushed overboard by the violent stream of water.
“Fire!” Namitarō shouted.
The sky was streaked with red as the remaining pirates shot their hand cannons at the sea monster. The sea monster dove underwater to avoid the worst of the attack, then glided toward Namitarō’s ship. It sent another pillar of water at Namitarō’s ship to batter it, causing several more men to fall overboard.
“Shit, it’s got us right where it wants us,” Namitarō muttered.
The sea monster rose out of the water and into the sky, floating in midair as it shot another stream of water directly at Namitarō’s ship. The wood splintered as the force of the water crushed the deck and split the ship in half.
The gunpowder in the hull of the ship was agitated by the attack and blew up, sending a geyser of water sky-high. The pirates screamed.
“If you have time to scream, you have time to shoot,” Namitarō roared. “Fire!”
By the time the pirates fired again, the sea monster had retreated underwater. The monster’s head vanished beneath the waves near one of Namitarō’s remaining ships.
Namitarō wanted to save the ships that were still more or less seaworthy, but there was no time to move them out of the way of the monster. The sea monster surfaced, spouting another geyser of water with enough force to splinter and sink another ship. The crew swam in the river away from the wreckage as the ship sank.
Namitarō’s ship was the only one that remained. He knew the ship had no chance, but he still sailed it away from the sea monster as fast as possible. The pirates frantically adjusted rigging, calling out to one another to hurry.
One officer had the presence of mind to ready the huolongchushui, ‘fire dragon issuing from the water.’
“It’s coming back!” Namitarō shouted. A pillar of water rose out of the river toward the ship. “Attack!”
The officer fired the huolongchushui directly at the sea monster’s head. The weapon exploded with a loud boom and a profusion of sparks, flying rapidly into the sky in the direction of the monster. When the larger rockets burnt out, hundreds of tiny rockets burst out of the mouth of the wooden dragon.
There was a sound like a thousand thunderclaps as the tiny rockets shot forward as straight and true as arrows. The blast force of the rockets sent Namitarō and his men flat on their backs on the deck.
The gray clouds overhead dissipated. The water pillar collapsed to the surface of the water with a terrific splash. Namitarō and his crew adjusted the sails to right the surviving ship, staring in shock at the empty space where the demon had been.
Namitarō heard the sound of thunder in the far distance. The wreckage of the two ships floated past, wet and woebegone.
The huolongchushui was a very dangerous weapon. It probably would have been better to test one before using it in battle, but using that weapon was the only thing that saved them.
“Well done!” Namitarō called out. “We got it!”
The crew cheered. The men who had fallen overboard clambered onto the deck. Out of eighty crew, forty survived the attack, and ten were injured. Two large-scale cannons, three normal cannons, three small cannons, five barrels of small ammunition, twenty-six cannonballs, and thirteen hand cannons remained, but most of the gunpowder and ammunition had been carried in the other ships. It was a terrible loss.
Namitarō grieved the loss of his men more than anything. He owed it to them to avenge their deaths. He’d never lost a challenge to anyone or anything in his life, and he wasn’t about to start now.
“I’ll remember this, Hall of Hell demon,” Namitarō muttered. “The next time I meet one of you, you won’t get off so easy.”
The sunset that night was the color of fire. Namitarō and his crew moved their remaining store of weapons and ammunition to shore. The real battle began now. Namitarō wondered if the Hall of Hell demons somehow knew that he intended to help Jukai and Hyakkimaru, and had acted before his ships landed in an effort to destroy him.
Sorry, Jukai.
Roughly an eighth of the gunpowder Namitarō had bought remained. Jukai and Hyakkimaru would almost certainly need more. He only hoped that what was left would be enough. Namitarō’s first battle with the Hall of Hell demons left him feeling hopeless about their chances.
One thought comforted Namitarō: Jukai and Hyakkimaru were still alive. If they weren’t, there would be no need for the Hall of Hell demons to attack his ships. Namitarō had a reason to fight as long as his brother and nephew drew breath.
Namitarō also had a reason to hate the Hall of Hell demons that was entirely his own. They had already taken a great deal from him. As he stood on the deck of his ship and looked up at the twinkling stars in the night sky, Namitarō swore vengeance upon all the demons that dared attack him, his crew or his family.
I’ll do whatever it takes to kill you. Every single one of you.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 57]]>><</button>></center>Cut to Hyakkimaru getting a body part back (pectoral muscles).<<audio ":all" stop>>"Huh?" Dororo set aside his blowgun and squinted at the temple.
There were two children crouching down in the doorway of the temple with fearful expressions. When Dororo verified for himself that there was no danger, he smiled brightly and ran up the worn stone steps to the temple.
"Sorry, is this your house?" Dororo asked the two children. "I didn't mean to scare you, honest!"
Dororo had once lived in the basement of an abandoned temple in Kyōto. He grasped immediately that this ruined temple was some kind of refuge for orphans. The children cried out in alarm and slammed the temple doors shut.
"We're travelers!" Dororo called out. "Please let us stay, just for one night. And we're starving—couldn't you spare a bite to eat?"
Hyakkimaru stood stricken. "The children... they survived?"
Dororo turned back to him. "Huh? What happened here, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?"
"An attack," Hyakkimaru said. "A fire. I thought everyone died."
The doors of the temple opened a crack. Dororo peeked inside and blinked in surprise. Inside the temple, there were ten children from the ages of three to seven gathered near the doors. A fire lit in the center of the temple's main hall illuminated their faces. They were all barefoot and appeared genuinely frightened. They wore stained and ill-fitting clothes; it was difficult to distinguish the girls from the boys.
Several of the children had severe injuries. Some were even missing arms and legs. Their faces and limbs were so pitifully thin that they appeared to be on the brink of starvation.
Dororo gaped at the children in shock.
Hyakkimaru lowered his head politely. "We apologize for startling you," he said. "We're travelers and have no place to stay." He searched the children's faces for anyone familiar. "Wait... Takeo?"
"Hyakkimaru!"
A boy missing an arm and with an enormous burn scar over his face ran forward and hugged Hyakkimaru's legs.
"Takeo." Hyakkimaru put his hand on the boy's head. "And Mio?"
The boy shook his head. "We... we buried her." He hugged Hyakkimaru tighter. "I thought you were dead, too."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 7 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
"The young man was carrying a deep sense of malice, or a grudge," Semimaru said. "It was swirling around him."
"Malice or a grudge... Yes, the young man I know is similar. They might be the same."
Semimaru snorted. "Well, I don't know of too many other people walking around without any of their real limbs. If you'd met him, you wouldn't mistake him for anyone else."
Jukai froze.
"I don't know how even a doctor could do that, and he clearly wasn't one." Semimaru drank his tea.
"Hyakkimaru," Jukai said. "That's his name. And I'm... a doctor."
"So he's a friend? Or a patient?" Semimaru asked.
"He's my son."
Light danced in Semimaru's white eyes. "So you're the one who made him arms and legs, then, Jukai?"
"He was abandoned in the river and came to me without limbs. I raised him." Jukai had never spoken of this to a stranger before, but Semimaru had an aura of kindness and compassion that put him at ease.
Jukai briefly explained finding Hyakkimaru and how he'd helped him overcome his physical limitations through surgeries and interacting with his environment. Some of what Jukai described was highly technical, but Semimaru seemed to understand every word.
"I sympathize for the boy. It's easy to see why he'd resent his birth father," Semimaru said. "But his life right now isn't living. It's hell. The world is hell. Siblings kill each other and their parents for power or money or titles. Everyone works only for their own best interests. If I were sighted like you, Jukai, I would see the world for exactly what it is: a living nightmare. But I don't need eyes to see that much. I know it's true."
Semimaru laughed darkly. He picked up his sake bowl and drank everything in a single gulp. "Why are you seeking him?"
"I think he might be in trouble," Jukai said. He poured out more sake for Semimaru and himself.
And that was how Jukai and Semimaru met. They went out onto the mountain path and encountered Dororo later that evening. He was praying with his head bowed at Hyakkimaru's side.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 14 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $jukai_party to true>><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo looked up at Jukai and Semimaru. Hyakkimaru blinked and tried to sit up without much success.
"<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>! You're awake!"
Hyakkimaru ignored Dororo for the moment. "Father..." There were so many things he wanted to say, but his words died in his throat.
Jukai climbed the path up to Hyakkimaru. "This monk helped lead me to you. I wouldn't have found you without his help."
"I could say the same thing about you, Lord Jukai," Semimaru said graciously. "But you should probably take a look at that left leg before we talk much more."
Jukai frowned. How did Semimaru know that Hyakkimaru's left leg, in particular, needed repair?
"Huh?" Dororo asked.
Semimaru didn't say anything else.
"I can walk, I think," Hyakkimaru said. "And anyway, we should find better shelter before we rest."
Everyone agreed.
Hyakkimaru leaned on Jukai as they traversed a mountain path with Dororo and Semimaru. They soon reached the remains of a burned temple, which was barely standing. Then Hyakkimaru collapsed to his knees.
"No," Hyakkimaru said, staring at the ground. "Not here..."
"Where are we, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span></span>?" Dororo asked.
"Somewhere I lived... a long time ago." With great effort, he looked up at the ruined temple.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 5 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>The woman was young, but her kimono was torn and had dirt riming the hem. She squeezed her hands together as if she were seeking reassurance. Her nails were bitten down to the cuticle and her hair was a mess.
She was the most beautiful woman Hyakkimaru had ever known--and he had met a princess once.
"Mio," he said quietly.
"Hyakkimaru." She settled her hands at her side with great difficulty. "You can't be here. Not yet."
"Where is here?" he asked.
"The entrance gate," Mio said. "The place where our spirits go before they are reborn." The look she gave him now was saddened, not anxious. "Demonic lightning struck you when you were defenseless. You died."
"What?"
"But I can send you back," Mio said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 56 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru was cautious. He'd met Mio before, in the underworld of the demon fox's devising. What if this was a trick, too?
But he didn't think it was. He thought that this Mio was real. She was dressed the same way she'd been before her death, and she was less idealized here. Not a pale wraith, but a perfect reflection of who she'd been in life. He ached to touch her, hug her--confirm that she was real.
<center><<button[[Embrace Mio.->Kind Path 57 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Doubt Mio.->Kind Path 60 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>"I've missed you," Hyakkimaru said. He reached out to Mio and pulled her into a hug that made her gasp, though he felt no exhalation of air. "I'm so sorry."
"It's all right." Mio's arms wrapped tentatively around his shoulders. "You're going to be all right now. I promise."
"But you said I was dead."
"Almost," she said. She pulled away from him a bare inch so that she could look him in the eyes. "Manjushri asked me to watch over you. I can bring you back to life, safe and unharmed, but..."
"...But what?"
"I'll have to move on to my next life," she said. "I wouldn't see you again. You wouldn't see me. I..."
Hyakkimaru frowned as he considered Mio's words.
<center><<button[[Ask Mio to send you back.->Kind Path 62 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Ask Mio if you can stay with her.->Kind Path 58 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>"This isn't really you, is it?" Hyakkimaru asked. He took a tentative step away from her.
Mio shrugged. "It is what remains of me before I go on to my next life." A pause. "I know the demons tried to trick you by looking like me. I can't control things like that, but I'm sorry. Is there anything I can say to convince you that I'm real?"
Hyakkimaru considered. Mio was one of a handful of people who had seen his artificial limbs. She'd tended to his injuries as well as the children's. She knew almost everything he did about his life's circumstances.
"The night before I went to scout out the samurai who attacked the temple,, what did I say to you?"
Mio hesitated.
<center><<button[[Insist on an answer.->Kind Path 61 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Just hug her already.->Kind Path 57 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>"Is that what you want?" Hyakkimaru asked. "For me to go back?"
"Isn't that what you want?" she asked. "You never got the answers you were looking for. You never met your parents. And Takeo and the other children need a protector. Someone to look up to. And what about Dororo? Could you really give all that up just to stay with me?"
Hyakkimaru hesitated, but he nodded. "You're right. I can't be dead. Not yet. But what about you?"
Mio looked down. "Manjushri has told me that death is not the end," Mio said. "It's a doorway to another life. I think that if I send you back now, we could still meet in our next lives. It's a chance."
"There are other lives?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Mio nodded.
"And I'll see you? You'll be all right?"
Mio smiled. "I'll be alive again. There's always going to be hope in that."
Hyakkimaru nodded. "Then send me back. Please."
"All right." She took her hands in both his. "Close your eyes. Divine energy isn't always comfortable."
Hyakkimaru closed his eyes. He recognized the glow of Mio's transformation from a hawk. When the light faded and he opened his eyes, Hyakkimaru was standing on Mount Monju. Takumaru sat perched on a stump nearby, preening his feathers. The lightning storm from before was gone, leaving the sky clear.
"Thank you, Mio," Hyakkimaru whispered. "Thank you."
<<set $miosacrifice to true>>
<center><<button[[Coninue.->Kind Path 69 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
"Is that what you want?" Hyakkimaru asked. "For me to go back?"
"Isn't that what you want?" she asked.
"No," Hyakkimaru said. "Now that you're here, I never want to leave you."
Mio's expression was pained. "Are you sure? You never got the answers you were looking for. You never met your parents. And Takeo and the other children need a protector. Someone to look up to. And what about Dororo? Could you really give all that up just to stay with me?"
<center><<button[[Yes.->Kind Path 59 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[No.->Kind Path 111 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>"I thought I lost you forever to the demons," Hyakkimaru said. "The demons stole your face and tried to trick me before. Now that you're here--really here--I won't ever give you up. Not ever."
Mio smiled tentatively and pulled him into a tighter hug. "Then I must ask you to help me."
"How?"
"I've never been past the gate." She gestured with one hand, and a barred gate wrought of cloud and sunlight appeared a few yards away. "I don't know the way. I don't want to get lost."
"If we lose our way, we'll still be lost together," Hyakkimaru said.
Mio nodded. "You're right." She hugged him again. "I can't believe you're really here."
"Me, neither. Is this a dream?"
"My mother told me death was like dreaming. So maybe." She squeezed his hands in both hers, then pulled away. She took a few steps toward the gate.
Hyakkimaru took Mio by the hand, and they walked through the gate together.
Manjushri was waiting for them on the other side.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Reincarnation]]>><</button>></center>All the blood rushed to Hyakkimaru's head. Having these wicked-looking robbers refer to Mio so casually and disrespectfully made him clench his fists with rage.
"Insolent scum," Hyakkimaru spat. He kicked the giant in the torso so hard that he stumbled backward down the steps. The giant fell and rolled, but he was on his feet again in an instant and drew his sword.
"Get down here and I'll slice you in half," the giant said menacingly.
The lanky samurai drew his sword as well. "Come, little monk. Let's see what you're made of."
Hyakkimaru glanced back into the ruined temple. The terrified children were gathered in the corners of the main hall with their heads down. Dororo stood in the shadow of the doorway directly behind him. Hyakkimaru didn't see Mio anywhere.
Hyakkimaru walked slowly down the stone steps of the temple, unarmed and unarmored.
"Drop dead, you bastard!" the giant screamed, holding his sword over his head. He struck fast, slicing his sword down toward Hyakkimaru's skull.
Hyakkimaru stepped around the giant's left side, so fast that his movements could scarcely be seen. His limbs weren't organic; if he focused his psychokinesis and channeled it steadily, he could move far faster than an ordinary person. He'd worked all day, but he still had psychokinetic energy to spare, which was further bolstered by his raw rage.
The giant's sword embedded itself deeply in the ground right where Hyakkimaru had been standing seconds before.
"Shit," the giant shouted.
Hyakkimaru slithered his hand out to grab the giant's sword and pull it strongly out of the ground. In the same motion, he slashed the giant's neck.
Blood gushed from the wound. The giant gurgled more blood as he tried to scream.
The thin samurai sprinted to his horse and galloped down the mountain path toward the road before Hyakkimaru could catch him.
"Shit," Takeo said. "They found us."
"You know them?" Hyakkimaru asked. "Tell me everything."
Takeo's face reddened; he hesitated. "They...know Mio. Do you really want me to tell you?"
"Yes."
Takeo took a moment to compose himself, then started talking, piece by piece and a little at a time.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 64 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
<center><i>Ten years later</i></center>
Jukai sat in the shadow of a plum tree in bloom and watched over his charges. Two young children, a girl and a boy, had fled here together from their home village, hand in hand. Even now, some days after they'd come here, they were inseparable.
The two children were the newest arrivals to the temple. The population had swelled in recent years; there were almost a hundred children and refugees at Mio's Temple now. Some of the first children he'd helped had grown up and taken jobs in the nearby villages, but some, like Takeo, had stayed to help him.
"Do you think they'll be all right?" Takeo asked. He had gathered firewood one-armed; it was almost time to start dinner inside the rebuilt temple. It had three floors now and enough rooms to sleep everyone. It wasn't glamorous, but for the past ten years, it had been home.
"They are together, and whole," Jukai said. "Children like you have come here with less and done well for themselves."
Takeo nodded in agreement. "I'm almost done making that eye medicine recipe you showed me. Want to take look after dinner?"
Jukai nodded, then looked out at the two new arrivals again. The other children played around them, still not sure how to involve the two in their games and chores yet.
Dororo plopped down next to the two children and started talking animatedly, all hands. Like Takeo, Dororo had always been interested in the welfare of the temple children. The girl was smiling, but the boy appeared somewhat apprehensive. Dororo goaded him into a play sword fight with sticks to get him to laugh.
Jukai looked out at them sll and remembered the first child he'd taken in almost thirty years ago. He'd never stopped seeing Hyakkimaru in all their faces. In all their injuries and lost limbs, he saw pain, but also the potential to create a better life from tragedy.
He was a doctor. He was supposed to hope for better for his patients.
As delicate white plum blossoms drifted off the tree and fell around him, Jukai felt strangely at peace.
<i>They are together, and whole.</i>
He prayed that Hyakkimaru had found the same peace.
<<if $reincarnate is false>><<set $reincarnate to true>><img src="Images/Achievement-32.png"><<audio win play>><center><i>You have earned the Achievement - Reincarnation<br>for having Hyakkimaru follow Mio into her next life.</i></center><<else>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>>Instead of answering in words, Mio reached out and touched his arm. Hyakkimaru blinked, and he was sharing a memory with her.
It was morning at the ruined temple. Hyakkimaru decided leave sometime around noon.
Mio brought out some baked sweets that she'd made to give Hyakkimaru for his journey. Right when Mio was packing them up, she heard the sound of horses' hooves. The children playing outside rushed into the temple in a panic.
Hyakkimaru went out to intercept the riders. Two men dismounted from their horses and tethered them to willow trees. It was obvious at a glance that they were samurai. Their messy hair was bound into topknots, they wore solid-looking chest armor that was dirty from long use, and they carried bows and arrows on their backs. Longswords hung from scabbards at their hips. They viewed Hyakkimaru with open disdain as they walked toward the temple.
They didn't look like proper samurai. In addition to their messy hair and generally unkempt appearance, they were unshaven and had the sharp, hungry look of predators. One man was tall, lanky, and too thin, while the other was a veritable giant.
Hyakkimaru was considering how to run them off when the lanky man shifted toward the giant. He pointed at Hyakkimaru.
"What do you think? A lover?"
"Looks like a kid. Maybe a monk?" The giant squinted at Hyakkimaru.
The two samurai climbed up the stone steps and stopped directly in front of Hyakkimaru.
"Bring that bitch Mio out here," the too-thin samurai said.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 63 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
Some days before, Takeo had followed Mio when she'd left the temple to gather donations of food from the surrounding villages. Takeo wanted to know where and how she acquired such large quantities of food, since she always went on her own and none of the other children knew.
Takeo stayed concealed in the trees and undergrowth along the side of the road, tracking Mio's progress. He noticed right away that Mio wasn't walking the same way she usually did. She was crouched in on herself with her head down as if she were trying to avoid being seen.
Takeo gasped involuntarily as he watched several vulgar and dirty-looking men emerge from the trees surrounding Mio. Takeo was some distance away, but he knew the look of a band of thieves and murderers when he saw one. He couldn't see their faces, but most of them wore armor and carried spears in their hands and had longswords hanging from their belts.
"Huh? Did Mio mean to run into these guys?" Takeo muttered. She wasn't running away. Takeo's curiosity was piqued. He decided to follow Mio and the armed men.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 65 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
In the shadow of the rocky cliffs, there was a fortress. It was partially hidden by trees and was made of untreated wood. There was a stable out front big enough to hold thirty horses. Several smaller buildings surrounded the fortress, all newly thatched. Some of these buildings were raised up off the ground on poles. Dororo guessed that food was stored in them. Although the place was crudely constructed, Dororo thought that it looked too sophisticated in design to be a bandit fortress.
Guards stood on or near the watchtowers, but they appeared bored. Takeo looked at the design on the fortress' flags and sucked in a breath.
<i>Looks like bad news,</i> Takeo thought. This wasn't just some armed gang of ordinary bandits. They were too well-armed and well-supplied for that.
Takeo discovered a secret path that led into the fortress starting at the foot of a low mountain. It was above the main road, so Takeo was able to keep an eye on the bandits while keeping out of sight.
As he tracked the bandits from above, Takeo had a brave and reckless thought: <i>I should sneak in.</i>
It was a rare thing, finding a bandit lair. He might uncover information or treasures inside that were valuable. If he brought back proof of where the bandits were and that they'd attacked villages, the provincial judicial office might move to wipe them out. The only thing they really cared about was tax revenue, so if the bandits were eating into that, the authorities might actually do something.
Takeo noticed more outbuildings, including one that looked better-built than the others, as he came closer to the fortress. He was used to sneaking around armies in Kyōto; no one noticed his approach. He peeked into one of the outbuildings and was so stunned that he couldn't move.
A bearded man stood inside in his underwear, facing Mio. He ripped Mio's kimono off her shoulders and shifted a little toward the doorway. Takeo could tell that he was older, at least forty. The smile on his lips was wicked and lecherous. He caressed Mio's naked body with hairy, disgusting hands.
Mio put up no resistance. She let the man do what he wanted.
Takeo's face felt hot, like his fever had returned. He was frozen in place like he'd been turned to metal. His throat burned with thirst and sharp pain shot through his chest. He was stunned, and maybe a little heartbroken. He couldn't move at all, not even to look away. Terror and adrenaline kept him in place, because it was safer here than it was to run.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 66 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
The man's large hands coiled around Mio's hips. Mio gasped as he pulled her forward. Watching the man abuse Mio in this way before his very eyes shocked Takeo so much that he stumbled backward and fell. He'd felt too hot before, but now he felt cold all the way through.
Takeo crawled to a place where there was tall grass, then straightened up and ran back to the ruined temple. His head felt too heavy to lift by the time he returned, and his body ached all over.
<center>---</center>
Takeo finished speaking with his face bright red and turned toward the ground.
Hyakkimaru was so overwhelmed with painful emotion that he didn't speak. Mio must have thought that the only way to save the children was to sacrifice her own body in exchange. The land was war-torn and there had been several recent famines. Farming families needed everything they grew and would likely spare none for strangers. Hyakkimaru understood quickly why Mio would think that she had no choice but to do as she'd done. What he felt wasn't anger, or resentment, or any sense of judgment. It was grief.
Hyakkimaru faced the kitchen. Mio had brought in the supplies and heard at least part of Takeo's confession. She sat cross-legged on the earth floor, pale-faced but composed.
"Mio," Hyakkimaru said quietly.
She started to cry. "Forgive me. I wish you didn't know. You should have left today and never found out."
Hyakkimaru tried to speak, but made no sound.
"Don't care about me." Mio's voice was thick with tears; she flung out her words violently, like blows from a fist. "Please. I can't stand it. My body is impure and corrupted and you should hate me."
Hyakkimaru heard nothing except Mio's pain. He still couldn't bring himself to speak.
Mio's face twitched and convulsed as tears fell down her cheeks. She stared at Hyakkimaru and said, "Leave. Get away from here. Or you'll be corrupted, too."
Hyakkimaru held her stare. "What do you mean, you're impure and corrupted?"
"You know," she said. "And it will happen to you, too, if you don't get away from me right now." Mio was frantic; her hands dug into the dirt floor.
"Mio—"
"Leave!" she shouted. She looked at Hyakkimaru with eyes that were bright with tears.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 67 - The Past]]>><</button>></center>
"You say you've been corrupted," Hyakkimaru said quietly. "That your body is impure... if that's the case, then look at me, Mio."
Hyakkimaru set his sword down at his side, then started to remove his clothes.
Mio stared at him in astonishment; she had no idea why he was doing this. He stripped himself totally bare, feeling the sudden need to confess and reveal absolutely everything. All of his limbs were attached to his torso via metal parts that stuck out in places to allow them to come off for repair or replacement. Anyone who hadn't seen Hyakkimaru like this before would probably assume that he was a monster.
He was naked in front of a woman for the first time in his life, but he felt no embarrassment.
Mio gasped and looked away.
"Look," Hyakkimaru said.
Mio swallowed, mastering her fear. She returned her gaze slowly to Hyakkimaru.
"I was corrupted from birth," he said, "but not by my own hand. I choose to live anyway. I had people to help me and encourage me to keep on living, no matter what."
Mio seemed to calm down somewhat. She clasped her hands together in a pose of prayer. Her ragged breathing calmed down, but her shoulders still shook.
This was also the first time Hyakkimaru had told anyone the secret of his false body.
"You've done nothing wrong, Mio. You have no family, no skill with weapons or a means of procuring them, no money—how else were you going to save all those unfortunate children out there? I understand. Believe me, I understand."
Jukai had chosen to take him in—an orphan, for all he knew—and raised him with love and compassion. He would never judge Mio for doing the same thing for all the starving war orphans in the ruined temple. If compassion was feeling another's pain as sharply as one's own, then Hyakkimaru had found himself in just such an uncomfortable place.
"No one would think you were corrupted or impure if they felt your kindness," Hyakkimaru said.
"Hyakkimaru..." Mio's eyes were locked on his. "I'm so scared that I want to die, but whenever I think of what would happen to the children, I... I can't. It's dangerous here. You need to leave now."
Hyakkimaru rested a hand on her shoulder. "Mio, let me help."
"You can't!" She slapped his hand away with great force. The bandits would come in force now that Hyakkimaru had killed one of their own. Their agreement with Mio didn't include sharing her with anyone else.
"Just run somewhere, anywhere," Mio said. "The children and I will hide in the mountains."
"Wait here," Hyakkimaru said. "Just for a little while. I'll take care of it, then come back." He got up, pulling on his clothes hastily.
As Hyakkimaru left the ruined temple, he heard Mio sobbing behind him.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 68 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru snapped out of the painful memory.
"You were never corrupted," Mio said. She was still touching his arm.
"And neither were you," Hyakkimaru said. "Never."
<center><<button[[Embrace Mio.->Kind Path 57 - Heaven's Gate]]>><</button>></center><<set $dororo_party to true>>"I say we leave her here," Hyakkimaru said. "She seems attached to this place."
"I agree," Jukai said.
The horse bowed her head, then trotted away.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 89]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru threw the sword at Osushi as hard as he could.
The demon-killing sword flew as straight as an arrow toward its target, but it fell harmlessly to the ground when it reached the Osushi.
"Tell Jukai to stop playing games," Osushi gasped, "or we'll come for him next." She laughed.
The red light emanating from the ground where the Hall of Hell had stood faded away. The mist rose and dissipated. Faint moonlight cut across Hyakkimaru's face. The willow tree had burned to a husk. All was quiet and still.
Osushi was gone, but she would be back. Hyakkimaru was certain of it.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind 156]]>><</button>></center>
<<if $newgame is true>><img src="Images/Party.png">
<<if $hyakki_party is true>><img src="Images/Hero.png">Hyakkimaru is in the party.<</if>><<if $dororo_party is true>><img src="Images/Thief.png">Dororo is in the party.<</if>><<if $midoro_party is true>><<if $nose_for_trouble is true>> <img src="Images/Party_Midoro.png"><center><i>Midoro the demon horse is in the party.</center><</if>>
<</if>><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[I would ask them why they did what they did.->Pragmatic Path 1 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[I would do to them what they did to me..->Brutal 1]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $kind > 2>><center><<button[[They're my parents. I want to know them.->Kind Path 1 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[I would do to them what they did to me..->Brutal 1]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>><<if $KINDPATH is false>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $kind > 2>><center><<button[[They're my parents. I want to know them.->Kind Path 1 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[I would ask them why they did what they did.->Pragmatic Path 1 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<</if>>
<<if $KINDPATH is true>>
<</if>>The stars were so bright. They looked huge.
But there was no revelation there.
Hyakkimaru continued to train, feeling like he was missing something important.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 49 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center>
Hyakkimaru hesitated, but he nodded. "You're right. I can't be dead. Not yet. But what about you?"
Mio looked down. "Manjushri has told me that death is not the end," Mio said. "It's a doorway to another life. I think that if I send you back now, we could still meet in our next lives. It's a chance."
"There are other lives?" Hyakkimaru asked.
Mio nodded.
"And I'll see you? You'll be all right?"
Mio smiled. "I'll be alive again. There's always going to be hope in that."
Hyakkimaru nodded. "Then send me back. Please."
"All right." She took her hands in both his. "Close your eyes. Divine energy isn't always comfortable."
Hyakkimaru closed his eyes. He recognized the glow of Mio's transformation from a hawk. When the light faded and he opened his eyes, Hyakkimaru was standing on Mount Monju. Takumaru sat perched on a stump nearby, preening his feathers. The lightning storm from before was gone, leaving the sky clear.
"Thank you, Mio," Hyakkimaru whispered. "Thank you."
<<set $miosacrifice to true>>
<center><<button[[Coninue.->Kind Path 69 - Mount Monju]]>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $kind > 2>><center><<button[[They're my parents. I want to know them.->Kind Path 1 - Hyakkimaru's Sickness]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<audio ":all" stop>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $brutal >2>><center><<button[[I would do to them what they did to me..->Brutal 1]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<audio ":all" stop>><<if $KINDPATH is false>>Hyakkimaru and Dororo had finally won free of the demons' underworld, but they had no idea where they were. The fox demon had not reappeared since their battle.
Hyakkimaru tended to his injuries and brooded. He was camped with Dororo; they'd been following a shallow stream for a few hours before stopping to rest.
"Were we dead?" Dororo asked, making Hyakkimaru jump.
"Huh?"
"When the demons sent us to the underworld. Did we die?"
"I don't think we're spirits. You're still eating food like a normal person. So no, we weren't dead."
Dororo pouted. "I hoped I'd see my ma. Shoulda known it would just be a demon trick."
The idea of demon tricks recalled to Hyakkimaru what the fox demon had said to him before it vanished. "My real parents... why did the fox demon know about my real parents?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"Dunno," Dororo said. "Do you know who they are?"
Hyakkimaru shook his head. "I never met them, I don't think. If I did, I don't remember."
"What would you do if you found them?"
Hyakkimaru's forehead furrowed as he considered.
What does Hyakkimaru say?
<<if $pragmatic >2>><center><<button[[I would ask them why they did what they did.->Pragmatic Path 1 - Prologue]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<set $newgame to false>> Controls what variables appear on the Adventure Card.
<<set $end to false>>
<<set $KINDPATH to false>> Completion of the Kind path. --Remove from StoryInit when finished with debug.<<if $passageheader is true>><h1><<if tags().includes('Help-Hyakkimaru')>>Help Hyakkimaru<<elseif tags().includes('The-Ruined-Temple')>>The Ruined Temple<<elseif tags().includes('Going-After-Daigo-Kagemitsu')>>Going After Daigo Kagemitsu<<elseif tags().includes('Prologue')>>Prologue<<elseif tags().includes('END')>>DEAD END<<elseif tags().includes('Hyakumen-Fudou')>>Hyakumen Fudou, The Blank-Faced Buddha<<elseif tags().includes('Journey-to-Mount-Monju')>>Journey to Mount Monju<<elseif tags().includes('Mount-Monju')>>Mount Monju<<elseif tags().includes('Battle')>Battle!<<elseif tags().includes('Heavens-Gate')>Heaven's Gate<<elseif tags().includes('GOOD-END')>A Better Ending<<elseif tags().includes('The-Past')>The Past<<elseif tags().includes('Ichijodani')>Ichijodani<<elseif tags().includes('Army-of-Locusts')>Army of Locusts<<elseif tags().includes('To-Kaga-Province')>To Kaga Province<<elseif tags().includes('The-Red-Centipede')>The Red Centipede<</if>></h1><br><</if>><</if>><<if $kurama is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $kurama is true>>Return to the Mount Kurama?<center><<button[[Yes.->Base: The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>>To successfully travel to a place, you must first unlock access to that place. You have unlocked access to: <<if $temple is true>> The Ruined Temple<</if>>
Click or press on a location on the map to navigate to it. Alternately, click or press the buttons underneath the map to navigate to unlocked locations.
Remember to close out of the Map screen after navigating.
<!-- Image Map Generated by http://www.image-map.net/ -->
<img src="Images/Map.png" usemap="#image-map">
<map name="image-map">
<area
data-passage="Eguri Valley Travel"
alt="Eguri Valley"
title="Eguri Valley"
coords="616,216,622,258,562,258,564,216,589,211"
shape="poly">
<area
data-passage="Mount Kurama Travel"
alt="Mount Kurama"
title="Mount Kurama"
coords="562,285,591,323,529,322,535,293,548,289"
shape="poly">
<area
data-passage="Hibikimaru Travel"
alt="Hibikimaru"
title="Hibikimaru"
coords="509,290,457,340,455,290,505,340,457,339,455,290,509,290,455,290,455,322"
shape="poly">
<area
data-passage="The Ruined Temple Travel"
alt="The Ruined Temple"
title="The Ruined Temple"
coords="574,352,521,352,526,381,559,381"
shape="poly">
<area
data-passage="Daigo Clan Fortress Travel"
alt="Daigo Clan Fortress"
title="Daigo Clan Fortress"
coords="451,383,495,386,491,426,449,427"
shape="poly">
<area
data-passage="The Hall of Hell Travel"
alt="The Hall of Hell"
title="The Hall of Hell"
coords="370,353,417,351,425,428,368,430"
shape="poly">
</map><<if $temple is true>> <center><<button[[Go to the Ruined Temple.->The Ruined Temple Travel]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $hibikimaru is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $hibikimaru is true>>Return to the Hibikimaru?<center><<button[[Yes.->Base: The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $eguri_valley is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $eguri_valley is true>>Return to Eguri Valley?<center><<button[[Yes.->Base: The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $daigofortress is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $daigofortress is true>>Return to the Daigo Clan Fortress?<center><<button[[Yes.->Base: The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $hall_of_hell is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $hall_of_hell is true>>Return to the Hall of Hell?
<center><<button[[Yes.->Base: The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>><<if $temple is false>>This location is locked. Keep exploring to discover it!<</if>><<if $temple is true>>Go to the Ruined Temple?<center><<button[[Yes.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><center><<button[[No.->Map]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<center>Show the map.<<if $map is true>>
<<link "MAP" "Map">><<script>>Dialog.setup("Map", "Map"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Map").processText()); Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><</if>></center><<set $galatea_progress=0>>
For randoms: <<goto `either("battle", "battle2", "battle3")`>><<set $miosacrifice to true>>
<img src="Images/Base-TheRuinedTemple.png">
<<if $miosacrifice is true>><center><<button[[Pray for Mio's Spirit.->Ruined Temple-Pray]]>><</button>></center>
<</if>><<if $galatea_start is true>><center><<button[[Visit Mio->Ruined Temple-Galatea]]>><</button>></center> <</if>>
<<if $hurt is true and $jukai_party is true>><center><<button[[Take Medicine.->Ruined Temple-Doctor Care]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $hurt is false and $jukai_party is true>><center><<button[[Talk to Jukai.->Ruined Temple-Jukai]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $dororo_party is true>><center><<button[[Talk to Dororo.->Ruined Temple-Dororo]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $midoro_party is true>><center><<button[[Take care of Midoro.->Ruined Temple-Midoro]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $nota_party is true>><center><<button[[Play with Nota.->Ruined Temple-Nota]]>><</button>></center>)<</if>>
<<if $pirate_party is true>><center><<button[[Train with Namitarou.->Ruined Temple-Namitarou]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $mio_party is true>><<button[[Go for a walk with Mio.->Ruined Temple-Mio]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $ochika_party is true>><<button[[rain with Ochika.->Ruined Temple-Ochika]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $taho_party is true>><<button[[Talk to Tahoumaru.->Ruined Temple-Tahoumaru]]>><</button>></center><</if>> <</if>>
<<if $templevisit1 is true>><center><<button[[Return to your adventure.->Kind Path 17 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $templevisit2 is true>><center><<button[[Return to your adventure.->Kind Path 27 - Return to the Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $templevisit3 is true>><center><<button[[Return to your adventure.->Kind Path 132 - To Kaga Province]]>><</button>></center><</if>>Recieve random stat boost."You really do need to take better care of yourself," Jukai said, puttering over his medicines. He makes you a strong tea and sends you to bed.
<<set $hurt to false>>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<if $templevisit1 is true>><<if $visitedJukai gte 3>>You've already talked to Jukai today. <center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<else>>Jukai smiles warmly at you.
<center><<button[[Talk about your quest.->Jukai1]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Talk about your party members.->Jukai2]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Talk about something else.->Jukai3]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><</if>>
<<if $templevisit2 is true>><<if $visitedJukai gte 6>>You've already talked to Jukai today. <center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>
<<else>>Jukai smiles warmly at you.
<center><<button[[Talk about your quest.->Jukai1]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Talk about your party members.->Jukai2]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Talk about something else.->Jukai3]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><</if>>Talk to Dororo. (Gain relationship. At max relationship, Dororo will gain a combat ability.)Take care of Midoro. (Gain relationship. At max relationship, Midoro will gain a combat ability.)Pet Nota. (Gain relationship. At max relationship, Nota will gain a combat ability.Train with Namitarou. (Gain a combat ability or weapon.)Visit Mio, do galatea progress.<<set $visitedJukai =$visitedJukai +1>>
What about?
<center><<button[[Talk to Jukai about something else.->Ruined Temple-Jukai]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<set $visitedJukai =$visitedJukai +1>>
And this?
<center><<button[[Talk to Jukai about something else.->Ruined Temple-Jukai]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center><<set $visitedJukai =$visitedJukai +1>>
One more?
<center><<button[[Talk to Jukai about something else.->Ruined Temple-Jukai]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Go back to the temple entrance.->The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru was brought to a room in the samurai guardhouse. He wasn't treated as a prisoner, but it seemed that Mitsuhisa wanted him to be closely watched.
Hyakkimaru had never been inside a fortress before and was quickly lost, even though the samurai guardhouse wasn't very far from the front gates. There was an atmosphere of tension and high alert enveloping the place, though he saw no obvious cause for this.
"Before I thank you for your timely rescue, I believe that I should first ask who you are," Mitsuhisa said.
"I'm a traveling swordsman. My name is Hyakkimaru."
"Odd name," Mitsuhisa said. "Violent, too. What were you doing outside my brother's fortress?"
Hyakkimaru bowed his head. "I came here because I have an urgent request to make of you, lord."
"Oh? Interesting. What is this request?" His eyes were hard and cold, but his tone conveyed a hint of amusement.
"Forgive my impertinence, but it is the greatest ambition of my life to meet Asakura Takakage, if only for a moment."
"What? You wish to meet my brother?"
"I beg you to carry my request to him," Hyakkimaru said, pressing his face to the floor.
Mitsuhisa withdrew from the room, along with his guards.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 94 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru stayed in the fortress until nightfall, when torches were lit in the guardhouse and outside the fortress.
Suddenly, the door to the room slid open, revealing two samurai. Mitsuhisa had returned, leading another samurai in heavy, well-maintained armor and a helmet that identified him as a high-ranking general. It was Asakura Takakage: of that, Hyakkimaru had no doubt.
Hyakkimaru prostrated himself before the two samurai.
"I'm Takakage. Are you Hyakkimaru?" Asakura Takakage asked.
Hyakkimaru's voice shook when he answered, "I am Hyakkimaru. I beg you to forgive my selfish request in desiring to meet you, sir. Seeing you now fulfills an aspiration that I have carried with me for many months."
"I think he's a spy," Mitsuhisa put in. "I found him near the gate and think he just took his chance when he saw it."
"I'm not spy," Hyakkimaru said. "I swear it! I'll swear any oath you want!"
There was a long moment of tense silence.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 95 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>Then Takakage and Mitsuhisa laughed hard enough to shake the walls. "Everyone says that, kid," Takakage said. "You must be new around here."
Hyakkimaru gaped up at Takakage in shock.
"Hyakkimaru, you may not know, but I owe your guardian, the doctor Jukai, a great debt. And you've shown courage in coming here."
"I did what I said I would," Mitsuhisa said. "My brother is here. What did you want to ask him?"
"I'm trying to find a general," Hyakkimaru said.
"Oh? Which army is he in, Eastern or Western?"
"I don't know," Hyakkimaru said.
Takakage and Mitsuhisa exchanged glances. "What's his clan, then?" Takakage asked.
"The clan is Daigo," Hyakkimaru said.
"There was an Emperor called Daigo a long time ago," Mitsuhisa said, "and there's a Daigo Temple in Kyōto, but I'm not aware of any clan."
"There are a few samurai clans with that name, though they're somewhat obscure," Takakage said. "Let's see...I've heard of Daigo Shinbē, Daigo Kagemitsu..."
Hyakkimaru's shoulders shifted forward involuntarily. "Yes. Daigo Kagemitsu is his name."
Mitsuhisa folded his arms. "Are you sure about that, Hyakkimaru?"
"Yes."
Takakage snorted. "Well, he's a samurai all right, but you'd be wrong if you described him as human."
"That much, I do know." Hyakkimaru clenched his fist.
"I don't know if it's the same man, but there's a Daigo Kagemitsu in the Eastern Army," Takakage said. "He's in Kaga, serving under Togashi Masachika."
"Kaga? Where in Kaga?"
"He could be anywhere in Kaga," Mitsuhisa said. "There's a war on. Fortresses are popping up all over the place and armies are on the move. We don't know the ins and outs of the Eastern Army in so much detail. You can't expect us to tell you something that specific."
Hyakkimaru reddened. Mitsuhisa was right. Even if he and Takakage did know where Daigo Kagemitsu was at the moment, they'd be fools to reveal what they knew about the Eastern Army's movements. Hyakkimaru could very easily be a spy.
"Knowing where he was eighteen years ago doesn't help much in pinning down his whereabouts now," Takakage said. "I've told you as much as I know."
Togashi Masachika was only eighteen years old, but he was the governor of Kaga Province and ruled from Takao Castle.
Mitsuhisa smiled, and it wasn't unkind. "Does that satisfy you, Hyakkimaru?"
Hyakkimaru prostrated himself before Takakage and Mitsuhisa again. "Yes. Thank you very much."
"It's getting late," Takakage said. "Take him to a temple. He can spend the night there."
Mitsuhisa nodded in acknowledgement.
"So long, Hyakkimaru," Takakage said. He left.
Hyakkimaru bowed politely to see him off.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 96 - Ichijodani - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>The next morning dawned gray with sparse cloud cover. There was a chill in the air that heralded the arrival of winter.
Hyakkimaru looked up at the gray sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Hyakkimaru's eyes flicked from the sky to the northern road, but otherwise, he didn't move a muscle. He stood there for a long while in gray mist before he started moving again.
Hyakkimaru knew where Daigo Kagemitsu was.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 80 - The Ruined Temple]]>><</button>></center>Gain psychokinetic power.Train with Ochika. (Gain defense stats.Talk to Tahoumaru. (Gain relationship. At max relationship, Tahoumaru will gain a combat ability and Hyakkimaru will have maxed stats.)Hyakkimaru kept walking. The silence felt oppressive around him. He'd gotten used to having Dororo around most of the time and found himself missing Jukai, too.
But it was important to fight the demons, and bringing Jukai and Dororo along would only put them in danger. <<if $galatea_start is true>>The same was true of Mio.<</if>>
It was just Hyakkimaru and the demons again, just like it had been that first night at the wayside shrine. He'd met several demons already and had regained many body parts, but he had a very long way to go.
As he walked through the woods, Hyakkimaru sensed a strange aura and stood still. He removed his prosthetic left arm, revealing the blade beneath.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 103 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru looked behind him and saw a woman standing in the road. The woman blinked rapidly, looking at Hyakkimaru with an expression of bewilderment.
"Well..." Her gaze dropped to the sword. "I was going to ask you for help, but maybe I should just move along."
Hyakkimaru lifted his sword fractionally. "What do you need help with?"
"A demon," she said. "A monster. It plagues our village. There is no escape from it. I barely managed to run fast enough. I was hoping to find a samurai to help the village, but it's probably too late." Her face fell.
Hyakkimaru frowned. There was definitely a demonic presence nearby. "Tell me about this demon," he said.
<center><<button[[Continue->Kind Path 104 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>"My home isn’t far. Why don’t we rest there for a while before you go off and fight that terrible monster?"
The woman's voice was kind. She seemed genuinely frightened. He agreed to follow her and kept sneaking surreptitious glances at her as they walked.
“Hm? Is there something on my face?” the woman asked. “Why do you keep staring at me?”
“It’s nothing,” Hyakkimaru said. Demons came in all shapes and sizes. Pretending to be innocent and innocuous was an art form for them.
“I see.” The woman seemed amused. Hyakkimaru wasn't sure why.
They reached the house. The woman made tea and poured it for both of them.
Hyakkimaru waited for her to drink before he even thought about taking a sip.
<center><<button[[Drink the tea.->Kind Path 105 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Pretend to drink the tea.->Kind Path 106 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>Hyakkimaru didn’t feel like he was tired, but when the woman encouraged him to lie down, he started yawning right away, and was soon fast asleep and snoring.
“Forgive me, boy,” the woman said.
The north wind blew in through the window again. “Oh! Oh!”
The woman trembled all over. “I understand, my lord. I’ll bring him to you at once."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Hyakkimaru's Face is Stolen by Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>The wind picked up, blowing in from the north. Hyakkimaru, who was sitting near the window, shivered. The wind brought a strange echoing sound with it, like a voice crying out. “Oh! Oh!”
“Uh, what is that?” Hyakkimaru asked.
The wind kept blowing in through the window, colder than rain and hail. “Oh! Oh!”
All around them, the wind blew louder and louder. Hyakkimaru thought the sky itself was shaking from the force of the wind.
As the strange voice drew nearer, Hyakkimaru sensed mirth in it. Was the wind the demon?
As the roof above them creaked from the force of the wind, Hyakkimaru said, “I think should get out of here, miss. Is that wind the demon?”
The woman looked surprised. “I... no, it’s not a demon. Behind the house, there’s a waterfall and a shrine that’s sacred to the Buddha Fudō. There’s a statue of Fudō cut into the cliffs near the waterfall.”
Fudō was a Buddha, but he didn’t have the kind face or happy expression of, say, Amida Buddha. His eyes burned with anger. In his right hand, he carried a sword; in his left hand, he held rope twisted into a noose.
“You must be tired,” the woman said. “Fudō will watch over us here. I’ll make us some dinner. Perhaps you should get some rest before you go hunting?”
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru decides to go get help.->Kind Path 107 - Hyakumen Fudou - Hyakkimaru Goes Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Hyakkimaru decides to deal with the demon on his own.->Hyakkimaru is Drowned by Hyakumen Fudou]]>><</button>></center>
"I'm not particularly tired," Hyakkimaru said. He'd felt sorry for her at first, but she was acting very suspicious. He thought it might be a good idea to have some help with this demon just in case the woman tried decieving him.
"I think I'll go now, but I'll be be back soon," Hyakkimaru says. "I want to find out more about this demon."
When Hyakkimaru returned to the temple, he found Jukai there but Dororo absent. "Where did he go?" Hyakkimaru asked.
"After you, I expect," Jukai said. "He barely left an hour ago. You should be able to catch up with him easily."
Hyakkimaru nodded. "Thanks, dad."
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 110 - Hyakumen Fudou - Dororo Alone]]>><</button>></center>
<<audio sink play>>"I really think I should get going," Hyakkimaru said. "Are you sure you'll be safe here?"
"The Buddha will watch over me," she said.
Hyakkimaru frowned, but he left. He wanted to investigate the strange wind.
Hyakkimaru went down the mountain path, guided by the wind's howling. He saw a waterfall with a lake below it and sprinted closer.
Hyakkimaru couldn't swim well--the prosthetics were heavy when they were wet--so he hestitated just a moment at the edge of the water. The water was remarkably clear; cold spray smacked him in the face from the waterfall.
He looked up and saw an enormous Buddha statue carved into the mountain. It carried a sword in one hand. Its face had been eroded away, if it had ever had one to start with.
As Hyakkimaru moved closer to the waterfall, he felt a shove from behind as the woman from before tackled him. He wrestled her to the ground, but not before she'd shoved him into the water hip-deep. As he held her head under shallow water, a host of rotted and skeletal arms swam upward and dragged Hyakkimaru away from the woman.
"A face," a man said in a voice like thunder. "I want a face!"
Hyakkimaru hacked at the arms, but more and more kept swimming at him, tugging his clothes, his limbs, his hair...
In minutes that felt like agonizing hours, Hyakkimaru was dragged down to the bottom of the lake.
The next morning, the blank-faced Buddha smiled out at the world with Hyakkimaru's face.
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited21 is false>><<set $visited21 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>>The wind <i>was</i> the demon.
The woman lugged Hyakkimaru behind the waterfall near her home and suspended him in the air inside a net. The flowing waterfall surrounded them, the waters moving intensely around Hyakkimaru and flooding his body with icy cold. The woman stepped away from him, and the water from the waterfall became stronger, intensifying every second.
Hyakkimaru remained unconscious, but he was shivering.
The waterfall fell twenty meters at least. If his net broke and spilled Hyakkimaru out of it, it would be a very long way down.
The woman took another step away from Hyakkimaru.
The stature of Fudō had no eyes or nose or mouth. The stone’s surface was bare and smooth where the face should be. Wind howled around the statue. It sounded hungry.
“I want... a face...” The voice rumbled, amplified by the waterfall and the wind. “Give me... your face...”
The flow of the waterfall increased in speed and strength again, and then something human-shaped land at Fudō’s feet with a splash.
This body, which had bounced off rocks three times within ten meters, was a mass of blood and mud when it reached Fudō. The corpse was faceless, just like Fudō.
“I have done as you asked, oh great Fudō,” the woman said, bowing deeply. “Another lies near the waterfall, in the usual place. I hope they please you.”
The woman jumped down, nudging the dead body in front of the statue over a ledge and into the deep waters below. Then she looked up, turning toward Hyakkimaru. "I am sorry, boy," she said to an unconscious Hyakkimaru. “The holy and sacred Fudō desires a face, so you must give him yours.” She cast her eyes down.
“I want... a face...” Fudō said again, his voice echoing from ten meters below. The water rushed by Hyakkimaru, falling into the gorge before rising up and enveloping him completely.
Hyakkimaru's face appeared on the statue. His faceless corpse fell from the net and into the water far below.
When Jukai found him, the only recognizable thing that remained was his demon-killing sword.
Dororo wept for days after they found the body. "I didn't even want that sword, you stupid jerk."
<center>DEAD END</center>
<<if $visited22 is false>><<set $visited22 to true>><img src="Images/Death.png"><<set $death to $death + 1>><<if $death > 1>><center>You have died $death times.</center><</if>><<if $death is 1>><center>You have died $death time.</center><<else>><</if>><</if>>
<center><<button[[See your Adventure Card.->★Adventure Card]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[See your Achievements.->☆Achievements]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[View game credits.->Credit Check]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a new adventure. (You will keep all your achievements.)->Prologue]]>><</button>></center>
<center><<button[[Start a New Game+. (You will keep all your achievements.)->New Game+]]>><</button>></center>
<<set $revealbuttons to true>><<audio ":all" stop>>Dororo kicked stones along the path and pouted. "<span class='tooltip'>Aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span> always leaves me behind. It's not fair! I can do stuff! I don't get in the way. Usually," he added under his breath. "You never understand me at all, <span class='tooltip'>aniki<span class='tooltiptext'><i>Note: Aniki (Japanese: 兄貴) is Dororo’s usual way of addressing Hyakkimaru in the manga and other adaptations. The term means “older brother." Dororo does not use oniisan, the more usual Japanese term for “older brother. ” Oniisan is typically used to politely address any younger man, related by blood or not. The tone of aniki is stronger than that of oniisan and implies a more familiar relationship.</i></span>. I’m so tired of it," Dororo said. Tears streamed down his face that he brushed hastily away.
"Little boy, why are you crying?"
Dororo looked behind him and saw a woman standing in the road. The woman blinked rapidly, looking at Dororo with an expression of bewilderment.
"Uh... who are you, lady?" Dororo asked.
"I’m just passing by." She smiled.
"Well, I wasn’t crying. Get your eyes checked," Dororo said. He looked more closely at the woman. She reminded him of someone. Indeed, the woman was the spitting image of his own mother.
Dororo had completely forgotten about Hyakkimaru for the moment. The woman that looked like his mother had his full attention.
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<<audio ":all" stop>>"You don't have to be quite so dramatic." Jukai's eyes crinkled at the corners; he was looking at Dororo like a loving but exasperated parent. "Hyakkimaru sent Yosaku in secret. I have to assume that this is some kind of emergency. He asked me not to come, but he needs all the help he can get."
Dororo lifted his head. "So that means... I can go?"
"You need to stay here and watch the children," Jukai said. He had a hard time denying Dororo anything, but this was necessary. Someone had to stay to protect the temple. Besides, Hyakkimaru had made another request of him in his letter, and that was something only Jukai could do. "It's a very important job. I can't entrust it to anyone else. Sakuzo is too old to keep up with everyone, and you're too young to be rushing headlong into danger."
Dororo pouted. "Fine."
Dororo composed his features and went back to playing with the children, though he was unusually quiet for the rest of the day.
<center><<button[[Continue.->Kind Path 127 - Army of Locusts]]>><<set $dororo_party to false>><</button>></center><<audio ":all" stop>>Jukai started searching for components to make gunpowder along the riverbank <<if $dororo_party is false>>with Dororo's assistance<</if>>. Saltpeter, coal and sulfur were needed. Jukai gathered wormseed and leaves from pagoda trees to replenish his medical supplies. Before long, he<<if $dororo_party is false>>and Dororo<</if>>had more than enough materials to start making gunpowder.
Jukai called out to Yosaku. "By next year, there won't be a single locust left on that mountain," he said. "I swear it."
"Really?" Yosaku asked.
Jukai had learned to make medicine and gunpowder in China; he was also well-versed in making insecticides of various types. He had learned most of what he knew in that regard from Gōshō, the Chinese physician that he'd apprenticed under for many years.
Jukai knew of many insecticidal plants that grew on Mount Kurama, as did Hyakkimaru; he had learned all about them from Jukai while he was growing up. Stemona, chickweed, and shrubby sophora were the most common in this area, but they were by no means the only options at Jukai's disposal. He placed the gunpowder and insecticidal herbs in Yosaku's saddlebags and helped him <<if $dororo_party is false>>and Dororo<</if>> prepare for departure.
<<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo changed out of his usual attire and wore a long-sleeved kimono like most farmers did. He concealed his darts and blowgun inside one of the sleeves.<</if>>
Jukai accompanied <<if $dororo_party is false>>Dororo and<</if>> Yosaku's horse on a mare of his own. As they rode away from the temple, Jukai prayed once more for Hyakkimaru's safety while facing the far-off Mount Monju.
Jukai had become a doctor to alleviate human suffering. By borrowing the wisdom of the gods and the teachings of doctors and physicians, people could live better lives despite the hardships they were forced to endure. Why else had Jukai taught Hyakkimaru how to awaken his psychokinetic potential, or given him eyes and ears?
Why had his family thrown him away? What purpose could that have served? And even if they had a reason, can Hyakkimaru ever forgive them?
Conflicts were swirling around Hyakkimaru. Jukai hoped that he wouldn't be sucked into anything fatal. In Hyakkimaru's eyes, Daigo Kagemitsu and the demons that hunted him were one and the same.
<i>But his parents must have loved him. They must have.</i>
Jukai didn't often wonder if it was wrong to have raised Hyakkimaru the way he had, but now he did. He could never have simply abandoned him, but if the result of his long and patient care was that Hyakkimaru would hunt down and kill or punish his birth parents...
Jukai would always love Hyakkimaru, but he wasn't sure that his son was on the right path.
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The demons let out shouts and harsh cries of pain as the sword skewered them through. In less than a minute, all seven demons on the ground dissipated into mist. Hyakkimaru landed in the water, then crawled back onto the raft and stood up, glaring at the last demon, whose face was ringed in fire and contorted by fury.
"This time, I win," Hyakkimaru said. His voice carried over the water; <<if $dororo_party is true and $jukai_party is false>>Dororo<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is false>>Jukai<</if>><<if $jukai_party is true and $dororo_party is true>>Dororo <</if>> and all the villagers heard it.
The dark clouds overhead scattered away, but in their place a demon just as large and threatening as the ones Hyakkimaru had just defeated landed on the ground in front of him.
Hyakkimaru had never seen demons in their true shapes before today. This one landed and grew larger, gaining height until he stood something like twelve meters tall. The demon's entire body was hairy; two horns sprouted from its forehead. Tusks gleamed sharp and wet inside his gigantic maw. White smoke spouted from the demon's feet. He carried an enormous club with iron stakes and wolf fangs embedded within it. The demon had been spat from Hell itself, with all the associated anger and ugliness that came with it.
"This time we'll kill you, Hyakkimaru," the demon said in a booming voice. Fire fountained from his mouth, reflecting in pools of marsh water. A long trail of fire like a snake followed Hyakkimaru, even after he dodged. He dispersed it with the Muramasa sword, then put some distance between himself and the demon. He'd thought that most demons and yōkai were weak to fire and afraid of it, but this one seemed to be an exception.
The demon laughed, then prepared to breathe fire again, but it was a feint. Hyakkimaru looked for openings to attack as he kept moving around the demon; he never stayed still for too long for fear of being struck or caught in a trap. The club whooshed overhead; trees and grass caught fire in the marsh. Hyakkimaru ran some distance away from the demon and jumped up with his demon killing sword extended, but the demon deflected every strike he attempted. He was too busy defending himself to pause and channel more power into his sword.
The club came down heavily just over Hyakkimaru's head. Hyakkimaru avoided the club, but the tattered raft that he stood on was smashed to smithereens.
Hyakkimaru's breathing was ragged. Despite his fight with the yōkai and the other seven demons, he still had plenty of psychokinetic energy to draw on, but he was physically exhausted. The demon released another bolt of lightning, then made a sweeping blow with the club.
Instead of dodging, Hyakkimaru bowed his head and prayed. This was a risk—a terrible, terrible risk. He could die, but he was prepared for that. His life had always been in Manjushri's hands, for better or worse.
The demon killing sword fell out of the air, coming to rest near the sunken raft. Nothing Hyakkimaru tried could get it moving again.
When the demon laughed this time, it sounded like victory. He approached Hyakkimaru with slow steps; there was no need to hurry now.
The sword's unresponsiveness was Manjushri's doing. The only way to create an opening for Hyakkimaru to attack was for the demon to believe that he was already beaten. Hyakkimaru stumbled and rolled toward the demon killing sword, gathering his psychokinetic energy as he went. "Go!" he shouted to the sword, pushing himself half-upright.
The demon killing sword sought out the demon's core as it soared through the air, piercing the demon's heart.
The demon grunted as he went to his knees, arms raised to the sky. The demon killing sword emerged from the demon's wound and returned to Hyakkimaru's hand. The demon's face was bright red; his body shook and spasmed with pain. For an instant, the demon's body radiated bright light before it vaulted into the sky like a shooting star.
Time passed. The demon's body rose high into the sky before dissolving into the clouds, leaving sparks behind it. This dazzling effect was the result of the sword destroying the demon's core.
Hyakkimaru gripped the demon killing sword, then stood up slowly. The technique that had killed all eight demons was dependent on the seven stars clustered around the North Star, so he named the technique Hokushinhyōken: Seven Stars Demonic Exorcism. He would never have learned it if not for the help he'd received from Hōichi and Takumaru, the hawk on Mount Monju.
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Note: This is a battle scene.
Hyakkimaru dismounted near the rear gate of the fortress, still in the woods. He looked up at the high, smooth stone walls in the gathering darkness. This was probably the easiest place to sneak in. Merchant traffic went in and out of the gate, which would allow him to blend in with other outsiders once he was inside. The wall itself couldn’t be easily scaled. Hyakkimaru could use psychokinesis to jump over it, but the guards on the other side might see him. If things went wrong, he’d be shot down--and he had no news of Dororo or Jukai yet.
Hyakkimaru shifted his weight from foot to foot, caution warring with impatience within him. He was about to turn around and go back to the woods to think when he saw a shadow moving along the wall of the fortress.
A guard? Here?
Hyakkimaru emerged from hiding. His impatience had curdled to rage. He needed an outlet for his frustration. He drew his sword and slashed out at the shadow.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 62]]>><</button>></center>The shadow sprang back suddenly and crouched down without making a sound. Whoever it was wanted to hide.
Hyakkimaru smiled a little. An ashigaru or a guard wouldn’t hide from him...but he also thought the person he’d attacked was familiar with combat. It was dark and they were still crouched, so he still couldn’t see their face.
The shadow drew a sword from their back and slashed outward. Hyakkimaru jumped back toward the wall, then jumped over the shadow and grabbed them from behind to restrain them.
“Ah!” Hyakkimaru let go. His hands had brushed against his attacker’s breasts: it was a woman.
The woman faced him, slightly out of breath. “Are you--Hyakkimaru? Sir?”
“You know who I am?” He used psychokinesis to enhance his vision briefly to make out more details. The woman wore a white cloth over her head, concealing all of her features except for her eyes.
“I never wanted to attack you. My name is Ochika.” She bowed her head. “I heard your name from Dororo.”
“You know Dororo? Do you know where sh--he is now?”
Ochika removed her face covering and stashed it inside her clothes. She looked very pale in the thin moonlight. “Dororo sneaked into the fortress.”
“What?” Hyakkimaru took a step forward. “Is he alive?”
“I hope so,” Ochika said. “He wanted to sneak in no matter what. He never would have made it in without my help, so really, it’s all my fault. He was supposed to come back this morning, but he hasn’t.”
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Hyakkimaru shifted his gaze toward the wall of the fortress. “Idiot,” he muttered. “He should never have gone in without us.” His tone was scolding, but also affectionate. “He must have gotten caught.”
Hyakkimaru approached the wall.
“Wait,” Ochika said. She told Hyakkimaru how she’d come to meet Dororo. She’d saved Dororo after he fell from a cliff trying to evade pursuers from Kaga’s Judicial Office. As she spoke, Hyakkimaru noticed how sincere Ochika’s concern was for Dororo’s safety. It was almost like Dororo was her own child. He stared at her like he was trying to figure her out.
Ochika stared back.
“I can’t leave Dororo alone in there,” Hyakkimaru said. “I’m breaking in.”
“Then I will, too,” Ochika said.
Hyakkimaru looked at her in alarm. The fortress was too dangerous for a woman to sneak into, even if she was armed. Besides, it was harder to sneak two people over a wall than one.
“Don’t give me that look,” Ochika said. “It’s not like I haven’t been in there before.”
Hyakkimaru tilted his head a little, but then he nodded. There was no time to ask for details. He saw the benefit in her coming with him: she had been inside and knew the lay of the land. He could stay out ahead of her to protect her. He knew she could fight, at least a little, but his prosthetic limbs would work better to shield them both from archers.
“All right. We’ll go together.”
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The base of the wall was very rocky, so it was difficult to find good footing. Ochika seemed to know the place well and was able to move without making a sound. Hyakkimaru followed her, trying to match her and not always succeeding. She moved like a mountain monkey, slightly crouched down and light on her feet. He didn’t hear a single one of her footsteps. There was obviously more to Ochika than met the eye.
They passed beside a forest grove near the wall. Hyakkimaru saw many guards patrolling on top of the wall, carrying torches that bathed the surrounding area in illumination.
Hyakkimaru stumbled over a rock and snapped a tree branch in half with his foot.
“Who’s there?”
An ashigaru sprinted toward Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru hesitated. Failing to deal with this man quickly would bring the other guards down upon them, but he wasn’t sure what to do.
Ochika rushed up beside Hyakkimaru and kicked the ashigaru hard in the chest, sending him flying into a huge cedar tree. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
Ochika’s eyes sparkled with mirth. Hyakkimaru smiled at her and waved in thanks. She was full of surprises. Though she hadn’t revealed that she was a bandit, Hyakkimaru could guess at the kind of life she’d lived to acquire the skills she had. He didn’t judge her, though. Those skills were useful now. They shared a goal: rescuing Dororo from the fortress.
There were storage sheds close to the tree line. Ochika darted behind one, followed closely by Hyakkimaru. Wood boxes and storage crates were piled up high around the shed. Hyakkimaru smelled something like perfume or a spice; he couldn’t quite place the scent. It was sweet and somehow familiar, like being held in his mother’s arms.
“They’ll spot us if we stay together,” Ochika whispered. “This is where we split up.”
Choice
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Hyakkimaru nodded.
“The residence is to the west, surrounded by trees. There are more guards there than anywhere else.”
“I’ll search there,” Hyakkimaru whispered. “You search the barracks and outbuildings.”
Ochika nodded. “Be careful.” She put her face covering on again.
They separated, each running to separate ends of the shed before they took off in opposite directions. They were both used to moving in darkness. Ochika ran from fence to fence, waiting for openings in the watch so she wouldn’t be spotted. Hyakkimaru kept to the shadows and went more slowly so he wouldn’t be heard.
Ochika knew exactly where to go, but her path was blocked by guards. Impatient, she ran toward the merchant stalls near the barracks and looked for a likely-looking target. One man was walking alone with his goods strapped to his back. Ochika attacked him from behind, putting her hand over his mouth and the point of her blade to his throat.
“Scream and I’ll kill you,” she whispered.
The merchant trembled, but he didn’t cry out.
“There must be someplace where they keep prisoners,” Ochika said. “Do you know where that is?”
“All I know is that they bring people to that big building in the middle there for questioning,” the merchant said. “Please, spare my life.”
“I won’t kill you,” Ochika said, “but you can sleep for awhile.” She struck both fists into the merchant’s solar plexus. The merchant groaned a little, then lost consciousness. Ochika turned toward the large building the merchant had described and started running.
Ochika prayed to Amida Buddha as she ran. <i>Dororo, please be safe.</i>
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 66]]>><</button>></center>Dororo might be pretending to be a boy, but she was still a girl. She and Hyakkimaru had injured or killed many guards and ashigaru during their escape from the men at Kaga’s Judicial Office. If the men here found out that she was involved with that incident, she could be charged with a serious crime and executed.
Ochika pressed her back to the wall of a building and peeked out at her destination, which was getting closer. The courtyard outside the largest building in the area was thick with people: mostly ashigaru going in and out. When she slipped around the crowd and looked inside one of the building’s windows, she saw only two men patrolling the hallways.
Ochika climbed silently through the window. She knocked out the first patrolling guard the in the same way as the merchant, then approached the second guard stealthily from behind before seizing him by the throat with both hands.
“Where are the prisoners kept?” she hissed in his ear.
When the ashigaru realized his attacker was a woman, he twisted in her grip and tried to slam her to the floor, but she bucked her hips up, rolled over and pinned him instead, clamping down on his throat again. He tried to get her off, but her legs were uncommonly strong.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll spill your guts all over this floor.”
The ashigaru gasped for air. He tried to free himself from Ochika’s grip again, but it was hopeless. He pointed down the hallway.
“Go to sleep,” Ochika muttered, venting all of her anger in her fists as she knocked him unconscious. The ashigaru sprawled out, unmoving, on the ground. Ochika went where the guard had pointed and discovered a door that led to a dimly lit staircase. She went down the stairs, being careful not to make a sound.
The bottom of the staircase opened out onto a narrow corridor that was made narrower by the presence of prison cells built to either side of it. Some of the people Ochika saw had the look of dispossessed merchants. They sat in their cells with their faces in their knees, weeping.
Many prisoners were kept in a shared holding cell, but Dororo wasn’t in there. It was likely that Dororo had an individual cell. Ochika searched the prison in the half-darkness.
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Dororo was, in fact, in a cell all to himself. That spoke to the severity of the crime he was being accused of. It was possible that some of the ashigaru he’d injured while fleeing from Kaga’s Judicial Office recognized him. It was surprising that he hadn’t been executed yet. He’d likely been spared because of his youth--or because the guards weren’t finished interrogating him yet.
Dororo’s darts had been confiscated after his capture. The guard captain came to question him every so often, but he hadn’t said a word about Jukai or Hyakkimaru to anyone. The cells were always lit, so it was impossible to tell if it was day or night.
The guard captain stopped outside of Dororo’s cell. Dororo faced the wall, refusing to look at him.
The guard captain rubbed at his long beard and cracked his whip. “You’ll talk this time, or you won’t get any more easy treatment.”
“You call this easy treatment?” Dororo snorted.
“If you don’t talk, you won’t eat, brat.”
“Ch.”
The guard captain leaned in. “You won’t be let go until you tell us where your friends are. Strip,” he said.
When Dororo refused, he grabbed Dororo’s arms and forced him down.
“Stop it, you moron! Let me go!”
Dororo struggled valiantly, but the guard captain managed to hold him in place. No thirteen-year-old was strong enough to overpower a grown man.
“Stop! Get off me!”
“Shut up, brat!”
Ochika heard Dororo’s shouts. She came up behind the guard captain and kicked him in the knee, causing him to stumble.
“Who are you?” the guard captain called out. He drew his sword and was about to yell for help, but Ochika’s sword cut off his cry before he could make it. She slashed his stomach open so fast that he didn’t see it.
The guard captain collapsed to the floor, gurgling blood.
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“Auntie Ochika!” Dororo couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Dororo, we have to hurry.” She took Dororo’s hand and was about to lead him out of the cell when Dororo stopped.
“Wait,” he said. He stooped down and retrieved the cell keys from the guard captain’s belt. He tossed the keys to the prisoners inside the shared cell and said, “Run, now! Escape!”
The prisoners unlocked the door of the cell and ran down the narrow hallway. The prison and connected guardhouse descended into chaos as prisoners fled and guards gave chase. Ashigaru brandished spears and managed to surround some of the escapees, but many more managed to get free.
Ochika and Dororo ran safely all the way to the storage shed where Ochika had separated from Hyakkimaru. Hyakkimaru noticed the ashigaru shouting and running around the barracks and retreated to the storage shed as well, guessing that something must have happened.
“Aniki!” Dororo kept his voice down, but he was almost crying.
“Dororo.” Hyakkimaru put his hands on Dororo’s shoulders and smiled. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
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Ochika watched Dororo and Hyakkimaru grinning at one another and felt a tightness in her chest. “It’s dangerous here,” she whispered. “We need to get away.”
Hyakkimaru shook his head. “Leave, now, with Dororo.”
Dororo grabbed the sleeve of Hyakkimaru’s kosode. “You’re not going to beat Daigo Kagemitsu without me.”
“You can’t go with,” Hyakkimaru said. “You need to get outside and wait for dad. He’s still coming.”
“How are we supposed to get out?” Dororo asked. “We’ll have to fight the whole way, anyway. We might as well stay.”
Hyakkimaru removed a small handheld bomb from his pack and handed it to Dororo. “This is the last one, so use it wisely. If you’re fast and smart, you might be able to bluff your way out.”
The sound of the soldiers’ footsteps was getting louder. Dororo went quiet. They couldn’t be found here.
Hyakkimaru was sacrificing something significant by giving up his last bomb, but he wasn’t totally without firepower. There was gunpowder concealed in a hollow portion of his prosthetic leg.
“Daigo Kagemitsu’s residence is to the west, surrounded by a stone wall,” Ochika said.
Hyakkimaru nodded in thanks.
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Ochika broke into a run, followed closely by Dororo and Hyakkimaru. “There’s a hidden settlement in Eguri Valley,” she said. “That’s where we’ll be.”
“Right,” Hyakkimaru said. He waited until they were all some distance away from the ashigaru, then separated from Dororo and Ochika.
Dororo and Ochika fled into a stable where they found the horse they’d used to ride here. They mounted up quickly, but they could hear the ashigaru closing in on them.
“Stop them! They’re trying to get away!”
Ochika urged the horse into a gallop toward the main gate, but she didn’t intend to pass through it. There were more guards stationed there than anywhere else. Instead, she had the horse pick up speed and leap over the wooden fence near the gate so that they landed on the other side.
Ashigaru swarmed onto the road near the gate and started giving chase. “Halt!”
Dororo threw the bomb Hyakkimaru had given him at the wooden fence. There was a loud boom as the fence splintered. The men in front of it stumbled and fell, concussion-deaf.
Dororo laughed. “Serves you right!”
The horse got onto the main road, where it could make the best time speeding away from the fortress. There were no immediate pursuers, since the bomb had spooked the ashigaru defenders at the gate.
Hyakkimaru used the confusion to sneak back over the wall and jump down the cliff into the woods dotting the western portion of the fortress city. He waited a while, listening to verify that Dororo and Ochika were safe, then sprinted closer to the castle that served as the Daigo Clan’s residence. There were guards patrolling around the fortress, of course, but most of them had been called away because of the ruckus outside. Hyakkimaru pushed himself to run as fast as possible, so fast that he was difficult to see while he was in motion.
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It was eerily quiet after Hyakkimaru was past the main perimeter. He crept forward silently until he reached a window, then opened it and climbed in.
The interior of the castle was brightly lit, likely to protect against intruders such as himself, but he saw no one. The pervasive stillness of the outside permeated the inside, too. Sneaking into the Daigo Clan’s castle and taking it all in for the first time filled Hyakkimaru with an uneasy feeling that was difficult to describe. He tried to think of a reason why it would be so quiet.
<i>Is Daigo Kagemitsu away? The family should still be here somewhere…</i>
There were no signs of life at all, aside from the lamps lit in the hallways. Hyakkimaru turned a corner and saw light bouncing off the back of someone’s blade. There were guards in here, like he’d expected. Instead of hiding, Hyakkimaru strode bravely down the hallway, acting like he owned the place. None of the guards were looking his way, so he was able to advance further into the castle without resistance.
Hyakkimaru was sneaking outside into another courtyard when he caught sight of a building right in front of him that was built higher than all the others in the area. The walls and steps leading up to it were all made of solid stone. He stepped into the courtyard, avoiding the light of the torches. He slipped through another window and immediately set eyes on a delicately painted folding screen. The other furnishings in the room also appeared expensive. He must be in the family’s living quarters, then. Retainers wouldn’t likely live in such luxury.
He saw people coming down a hallway through one of the room’s bell-shaped windows and crouched down. He peered out the window as the people passed and saw a woman carrying a candle. She was walking behind another woman who was more finely dressed.
<i>The lady of the castle?</i>
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Hyakkimaru’s heart beat faster. His mind made the connection that the lady of the castle would almost certainly be his mother, if she wasn’t dead.
There was a low fence between the hallway and the courtyard that Hyakkimaru hid behind. There were no guards that he could see in this part of the castle. He wanted to see the face of the lady of the castle—just once. He enhanced his vision with psychokinesis, though it made his artificial eyes hurt. He ignored the pain and willed himself to focus.
Hyakkimaru was too far away to distinguish faces, and the lady and her attendant were moving farther away from him. He watched them turn at a corner and disappear. He followed the line of the fence in the direction the lady had gone, still determined to see her. She entered a room with windows, so he was able to glance in.
“Is that…my mother?” He hadn’t intended to speak, but the words slipped out. The backs of his eyes felt hot. The mere thought that this woman might be his mother made him want to cry. He felt warm all over, like he’d finally come home after his long journey. The lady of the castle appeared kind.
<i>But she threw me away, too. She must have. Why?</i>
Hyakkimaru’s old hatred warred with his more tender feelings. He guessed that his mother was like the demon woman he’d encountered at the Hall of Hell, presenting a gentle exterior and only transforming into her true shape when threatened. He didn’t know if he was supposed to love her or hate her. He had no control over how he felt.
“Is there someone there?” she asked.
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Hyakkimaru rose from his crouch and saw guards in the courtyard that he hadn’t noticed before. He sprinted in the direction of the courtyard garden, which was full of trees and places to hide.
His flight was noticed.
“Intruder! Halt!”
Hyakkimaru sprinted through the garden and back to toward the outer walls of the castle, where he’d been before. He kept running with his pursuers hot on his heels. He looked for a path that led to an exit. He had no desire to be cut down here.
Only one of his pursuers managed to track him all the way to the forested area near the castle’s outer wall. “Stop!” he shouted.
He was too close for Hyakkimaru to evade, at least without a path to run on. He stopped.
Hyakkimaru’s pursuer was a young man with a drawn sword. It was difficult to make out his features in the moonlight. “Are you one of Dororo’s allies?” he asked.
How did he know Dororo’s name? Was he responsible for Dororo’s capture?
Hyakkimaru faced the young man silently and waited for him to speak again.
“He’s locked up. We’re waiting for him to tell us more about the people he was with when he broke into the Judicial Office…but it seems his friends care more about him than we thought.” He snorted. “Tell me your name before I kill you, stranger.”
“You don’t need my name,” Hyakkimaru said. His eyes darted frantically around, searching for a way past the young man.
The young man chuckled. “Fine, then. At least tell me why you’re here.”
“Why should I tell you?” Hyakkimaru asked in a tone of clear irritation. The more time he stayed in place, the more guards could muster up and block his escape.
“Wouldn’t you be curious if someone broke into your house?”
“I’m after Daigo Kagemitsu’s head,” Hyakkimaru said.
“What?” The young man frowned. He slashed out with his sword. “Bastard. Who are you?”
Hyakkimaru drew his Muramasa sword and blocked the strike so strongly that the young man collapsed backwards.
“Lord Tahōmaru!” Guards rushed to the young man’s aid. Hyakkimaru fled before the guards could surround him.
Tahōmaru got to his feet and yelled, “Kill him! Don’t let him get away!”
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The guards chased after Hyakkimaru, shouting and drawing their swords. Hyakkimaru sprinted to the rear of the castle and found himself near a heavily guarded gate. He wouldn’t be able to get through here.
<i>Shit. </i>
He couldn’t leave, and he couldn’t go into the fortress again, where they were already looking for him. All he could do was wait to be caught. A narrow band of white light shone on the eastern horizon: it was almost sunrise.
As Hyakkimaru was desperately thinking of a way out, a shadow beckoned to him from the trees. “Hyakkimaru,” a man hissed, “this way!”
He didn’t recognize the voice, but the fact that the man knew his name was reassuring. He followed the man cautiously into a small building along the edge of the forest path. An old man was sitting inside. He was a samurai general, judging by his equipment.
“It’s not exactly safe here, but it’ll do for now.” The old man chuckled. His light and easy way of speaking reminded Hyakkimaru of Asakura Mitsuhisa. “What did you think you were doing, sneaking in? It’s dangerous in there, you know.”
The old man invited Hyakkimaru into an interior room with a kitchen. He ladled hot soup into a bowl that he passed to Hyakkimaru. “This should help warm you up. Eat it, then get some sleep.”
“Are you Mitsuhisa’s--?”
“Hush, youngster. Don’t give out names unless you want people to know yours.” His eyes sparkled. “You can call me Ōgawara for now.” Morning light seeped through the window. “Now rest.”
Choice
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Hyakkimaru was asleep the moment he hit the floor. It had been an extremely long night. Meeting Ochika, rescuing Dororo, breaking into the Daigo Clan’s castle and encountering the woman that might be his mother had completely worn him out. The brief fight with and escape from Tahōmaru hadn’t helped matters. He was relieved that Ōgawara had saved him, though he didn’t really understand why. He assumed that Ōgawara was a spy for the Asakura Clan. Ezichen Province and Kaga Province were next-door neighbors, and they were on opposite sides of the war. It made sense that the Asakura Clan would have spies here.
Hyakkimaru wanted nothing to do with the war, the Eastern Army or the Western Army. He’d gotten into enough trouble fighting in the Eastern Army near Kyōto. Daigo Kagemitsu was a general in the Eastern Army. If he found out that Ōgawara was working for the Western Army, it would be all over for him, too.
Hyakkimaru spent the remainder of the night and part of the next day in dreamless sleep. When he awoke, he remembered his fight with Tahōmaru and frowned. Tahōmaru was rude and immature, but Hyakkimaru might act the same way if the circumstances were reversed. Hyakkimaru was glad he hadn't been forced to kill him, or anyone else.
<i>Was it really my mother that I saw?</i>
Hyakkimaru glanced out of the partially open window and noticed that it was near sunset. He got up and thanked Ōgawara for concealing him for so long.
"You're not leaving yet," Ōgawara said. "Are you?"
It seemed that Ōgawara had guessed his intentions. "No," Hyakkimaru said.
"This place is full of samurai. You'll be found and questioned if you stay here much longer. I don't want any trouble, and I'm sure they don't, either. I helped you when there was no great risk to myself, but now, I don't know..." Ōgawara considered for a full minute. "I do know another place you could hide, but it would only be for a few days."
"Tell me where it is," Hyakkimaru said. "Please."
Ōgawara nodded, then summoned his house servant. It was the man who had called out to Hyakkimaru in the dark the previous night. Like Ōgawara, he was very likely a spy. He handed Hyakkimaru clean clothes, then said, "Change."
The clean clothes were a carpenter's uniform. Hyakkimaru put it on on top of his own kosode. Anyone who saw him would assume that he was just another worker on the grounds. He wrapped his Muramasa sword in a straw mat along with a hatchet and saw.
Hyakkimaru bowed politely to Ōgawara. Then the house servant led him outside. Watchfires lit in iron baskets dotted their surroundings. Ashigaru and archers stood guard atop the reinforced earthwork walls. Most stood still in fixed positions, though there were some that patrolled back and forth. Hyakkimaru thought that there were more guards now than he'd seen the day before. News of his breaking in had put the castle on high alert.
The house servant led him to the back of an old warehouse where several other carpenters were already working. No one looked twice at them. While work on the main fortress had ceased some time ago, there were constant improvements and adjustments being made to the buildings inside the city.
There was a large troop of soldiers gathered in a courtyard near where the carpenters were working.
“There’s a public feast being held tonight,” the house servant whispered to Hyakkimaru.
Hyakkimaru blinked in surprise. The fortress was always under heavy guard, and the province was at war. It didn’t seem like the time for Nomitadani Fortress to be inviting outsiders to a public feast.
“Only people inside the fortress will be able to attend, of course,” the house servant whispered. “I heard Kagemitsu invited certain people specially.”
The house servant referred to Daigo Kagemitsu casually, without his clan name or honorific. It really did seem like the house servant and Ōgawara were spies for the Asakura Clan.
“Do you know what his wife’s name is?” Hyakkimaru asked quietly.
“Nui no Kata,” the house servant said.
“Nui no Kata…” Hyakkimaru frowned. This banquet had likely been planned far in advance, if Daigo Kagemitsu had invited special guests. The sheer number of ashigaru gathered in the courtyard alarmed him.
<i>Isn’t it a bit…much?</i>
He found the timing for a feast inappropriate, especially since the Daigo Clan didn’t intend to share with anyone outside the walls of the fortress. Is it because he’s a valued retainer of Togashi Masachika? Him and his wife get to do whatever they want, whenever they want?
Hyakkimaru was overwhelmed with the desire to see the true faces of Daigo Kagemitsu and Nui no Kata beneath their human disguises. He guessed that they probably looked like demons or monsters on the inside. He no longer felt any sympathy for his mother. She was simply Daigo Kagemitsu’s wife. She had an extravagant lifestyle and didn’t care about the suffering of the outside world. She didn’t deserve any consideration from him.
<center><<button[[Continue ->Pragmatic 76]]>><</button>></center>The house servant led Hyakkimaru to a deserted warehouse that was falling apart. Narrow, rickety steps led to a cramped space between the ceiling and the roof that looked a bit like an attic. There was no one around, and no other warehouses or sheds were nearby. Hyakkimaru should be able to avoid the notice of the guards here, at least for a little while. He wouldn’t be able to stay long, since anyone carrying food or supplies to him would almost certainly be noticed, but he was grateful for the hiding place all the same.
After the house servant left, Hyakkimaru came out of the warehouse in his carpenter’s uniform with the Muramasa sword bundled up inside a straw mat carried under his arm. The courtyard with all the soldiers was lit by fires set in iron braziers, likely for the impending feast. He didn’t approach the courtyard. It was manned by ashigaru, common soldiers, and at least a hundred officers. He’d be dead the moment he was discovered.
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Hyakkimaru walked swiftly in the shadow of the fortress walls, looking down and trying not to draw attention to himself. He saw many more carpenters hurrying along his path and did his best to copy their movements. He was encouraged by the sight of so many other carpenters and workers. It wasn’t too difficult to blend in.
He arrived at the forested area near the gate leading out of the castle without incident. The courtyard where the feast was being held was a considerable distance away, but it was so brightly lit that Hyakkimaru could see it from where he was standing. He put his back to the wall of a shed near the forest path and took a look at the courtyard from hiding.
=Hyakkimaru had never seen Daigo Kagemitsu before. He had no idea what he looked like. He hadn’t even clearly seen the face of his wife. This was his chance to lay eyes on them for the first time. He was nervous about what he would see. If their outsides reflected their insides…
Hyakkimaru heard the strumming of a lute and enhanced his hearing a little. What?
He recognized the song. It sounded like the blind monk Semimaru was entertaining at Daigo Kagemitsu’s feast. Semimaru? Here?
Maybe he was mistaken. There were many blind monks that played the lute, after all, and Hyakkimaru couldn’t see the lute player clearly from where he was. It was possible that a different monk had come to play instead.
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But then the lute player started playing the Tale of the Heike, singing verses about human loneliness. Hyakkimaru identified his voice and could not be mistaken. Lute-playing monks were numerous, but Hōichi’s voice was both distinctive and superlative. Hyakkimaru almost called out to him in greeting on reflex, but he snapped his mouth shut before he could make a sound.
Semimaru probably didn’t know that Hyakkimaru would be here. Hyakkimaru and Dororo had learned of Daigo Kagemitsu’s whereabouts the year before, and neither one had been in contact with Hōichi since. He must have come here on his own, but Hyakkimaru wasn’t sure. His appearance here was too fortuitous to be a simple coincidence.
The timing was wrong for Semimarui’s appearance to be accidental or coincidental. The Daigo Clan must have sent out a call for entertainers well before holding the banquet. That meant that Semimaru had found the Daigo Clan before Hyakkimaru. Perhaps he’d sent word back to Mount Kurama and Mio’s Temple, but that would do no good with Hyakkimaru, Jukai and Dororo absent.
But Hyakkimaru had no time to linger on the mystery of Semimaru’s reappearance. He had work to do. He set down his bundle and unwrapped it, pulling out a fishing net made of flax. He threw it onto the roof of the shed. He took out a chisel from among the carpenter’s tools and put the handle in his mouth, then jumped onto the roof, carrying his sword in a bundle with his other carpenters’ tools.
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Getting onto the roof wasn’t a problem with psychokinesis, but doing so without making a sound was impossible. He waited until he was sure his movements hadn’t been noticed in the courtyard, then started jumping from roof to roof, one by one and stealthily. He could reach the entrance of the main building from above if he was careful. He waited for his opening and leaped.
No one saw him. He could see the banquet from his high vantage point. It was quiet except for Hōichi’s music. Everyone paid rapt attention to him and didn’t so much as glance Hyakkimaru’s way. Hōichi pitched his voice to carry, so Hyakkimaru could hear the song clearly.
Hyakkimaru walked along the latticework of the roof and jumped down a level, silently. He could see everything from here. His artificial eyes gleamed in the light of the braziers, torches and candles in the courtyard. He was mostly concealed behind a ridge in the roof, so no one caught sight of him. He squinted his eyes and took in the view.
Semimaru sat on a raised dais by himself, surrounded by torches. His voice echoed through the air in steady waves. Hyakkimaru was glad to see him; he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed him until now.
But Hyakkimaru wasn’t here to see Seimimaru. The seats nearest the raised dais were occupied by high-ranked samurai generals. His eyes scanned the crowd frantically, searching for identifying details. There was only one woman among them, so she was probably Daigo’s wife…which meant the man sitting next to her was…
Daigo Kagemitsu did not look like a monster. He had a neatly trimmed beard around his mouth and his expression as he listened to the music was polite, though perhaps vaguely disinterested. Compared to other samurai generals Hyakkimaru had met, he looked positively mild-mannered.
The woman sitting next to Daigo Kagemitsu didn’t look like a demon or a monster, either. Her features were delicate and refined. She sat up perfectly straight, enraptured by the song.
Anyone who didn’t know who they were might assume they were good people and kind parents.
<i>No. That’s not them. My parents are demons. They’re monsters. They’re…</i>
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Hyakkimaru looked again. Daigo Kagemitsu smiled a little, softening his features, and his wife wiped away a compassionate tear for the loneliness expressed in Semimarui’s song.
They were nothing like Hyakkimaru had imagined they would be. Kagemitsu Daigo should look more beast than human, with wide, overgrown eyebrows, eyes as dark as a void, and a cruel, sneering mouth. His mother should be bloodlessly pale, thin mouth slit open from ear to ear and full of fangs and sharp teeth.
But they weren’t. Had the demons tricked him? Lied to him? Remembered loneliness all his own made Hyakkimaru’s heart ache. Although this was the first time Hyakkimaru had seen Daigo Kagemitsu’s face, he had witnessed him selling his body to the demons at the Hall of Hell from behind. Was all of that an illusion? Had the demons shown that to him to put him on the wrong trail?
Hyakkimaru tried to recall everything he’d seen at the Hall of Hell.
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A lone samurai—presumably Daigo Kagemitsu—stood in front of a raised platform directly facing the forty-eight demon statues.
"Forty-eight devils, hear my prayer," the samurai said. "I have ambitions to take the world in my hands and bend it to my will."
Voices murmured underfoot.
The samurai rose and approached the platform, then knelt down and continued to pray.
"If you grant this prayer, I will give you anything."
"Anything?" The voice of a demon echoed in the Hall of Hell.
"Anything. I swear it. What do you wish of me? Treasure? Money?"
"We have no use for such trivial things," the voice boomed. The four pillars supporting the hall shook.
"Then what do you want?" the samurai asked.
"A life."
"A life?" the samurai asked. "Mine?"
"Your wife will soon give birth to a child. We desire forty-eight pieces of that child's body."
"You want forty-eight pieces of a newborn's body?" the samurai asked, clearly confused.
"That is the only thing we want. We will accept nothing else."
The samurai shook from head to toe. All four candles in the hall flickered out, even though there was no wind.
"All right," the samurai said. "If I am granted the world, I will give that to you."
"Are you lying, Kagemitsu?"
The samurai pressed his face to the floor. "I'm not lying. You have my word."
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The demons had called the samurai Kagemitsu. Were they using him? Hyakkimaru knew that the Hall of Hell demons wanted to exterminate people with psychokinesis, since psychokinesis seemed to be the only thing that could kill them. Was Daigo Kagemitsu being used as some kind of tool to track down people who had psychokinesis? Or for some other purpose? Hyakkimaru found it hard to believe the demons would point Hyakkimaru at Daigo Kagemitsu for no reason.
Guards surrounded Kagemitsu and his wife. His closest advisors and retainers also sat near him.
Something Kagemitsu and his wife heard caused their pleasant façade to slip a little. The rhythm of Semimaru’s song changed, indicating that he was entering a new or side section of the Tale of the Heike. Artistic digressions were common and expected, given how long the work was.
Semimaru sang of the death of Taira no Atsumori. “Defeated in battle, the Taira Clan fled from the cliff into the sea. ‘I see that you are a commander. It is dishonorable to show your back to an enemy. Stand and fight!’”
The speaker in these verses was Kumagai no Jirō Naozane, a samurai serving the Minamoto Clan. He grappled the fleeing commander and removed his helmet, discovering that the man was a boy about the same age as his own son. Other Minamoto Clan samurai appeared and would have killed the boy even if Kumagai no Jirō Naozane refused, so he beheaded him quickly, weeping all the while.
Searching the body for something to wrap the head in, Kumagai no Jirō Naozane came across a bag containing a flute. He realized that Atsumori must have been one of the soldiers playing music before the battle and said, “There are tens of thousands of riders in our eastern armies, but I am sure none of them has brought a flute to the battlefield. These court nobles are refined men!”
Kumagai no Jirō Naozane felt such remorse for his murder of the boy that he took monastic vows and never killed again.
Semimaru had chosen this selection from the Tale of the Heike especially for this occasion. There was irony in playing such a song before a man who had willingly sacrificed his own child for the sake of personal gain. Kumagai no Jirō Naozane had not killed his own child—he would not have been capable of such a thing—but the death of Taira no Atsumori had affected him as profoundly as if he had killed his child with his own hands.
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Kagemitsu frowned in irritation. His retainers and the men surrounding him all wept at the depth of feeling in Hōichi’s song. Kagemitsu composed himself quickly, but Hyakkimaru had seen him frown, and he thought he knew what it meant.
Hyakkimaru wondered why Semimaru had chosen to interrupt his previous song in favor of this one. Could he see Hyakkimaru on the roof with the eyes of his mind? He had always been good at seeing things in the world for exactly what they were, despite the fact that he was physically blind. Maybe he was trying to help Hyakkimaru discover Kagemitsu’s true nature by playing such a song where Hyakkimaru could witness his reaction.
Semimaru ended his song. It was silent for a long moment. Many of the people in the courtyard were stunned speechless with emotion.
Hyakkimaru climbed off the roof and sat down on a bundle of sticks near a wall. He couldn’t shake the image of Kagemitsu frowning during Semimaru's song. Why had he done that if he wasn’t guilty? He sat still until the entertainments and banquet were all concluded, lost in thought.
Hyakkimaru watched the party disperse, sitting still. If he wanted to meet Daigo Kagemitsu, now was the time. He might never get another chance.
<i>I’ve waited so long to learn the truth. What am I hesitating for?</i>
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Hyakkimaru stood up, cast aside his carpenter’s uniform and drew his Muramasa sword. He wanted Daigo Kagemitsu to see him for who he truly was. He was rounding a corner of the building and about to dash into the forested area surrounding the courtyard when someone called out to him in the dark.
“Halt!”
Since the feast was over, many lights had been extinguished, but some torches still burned along the fortress city’s walls. Hyakkimaru used the scant light to identify the speaker: Tahōmaru, the young man he’d fought with the previous day.
Tahōmaru was alone this time. Hyakkimaru didn’t see any guards or ashigaru nearby.
“So you’re still here,” Tahōmaru said as he came closer. “Who helped you?”
Hyakkimaru said nothing. He simply stared.
“You said you were after Daigo Kagemitsu’s life,” Tahōmaru said. “That must mean you’re an Asakura spy.” He drew the sword at his hip. “You know my name; it’s Tahōmaru. Give me yours.”
“Hyakkimaru.”
“Hyakkimaru? That doesn’t sound like a real name.” He slashed out wildly with his sword.
Hyakkimaru drew his demon killing sword and blocked Tahōmaru’s slashing blade with such force that Tahōmaru stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, staggered.
Tahōmaru got up, gripping his sword firmly. He faced Hyakkimaru again. “You’re better than you look,” he muttered. “Interesting.”
Tahōmaru was taking this fight far more seriously than he had the last. He attacked fiercely, but his style was immature and it was clear that he lacked experience.
Hyakkimaru fended off his attacks until Tahōmaru was completely out of breath. “Just give up,” he said. “Don’t waste your life.”
His words enraged Tahōmaru. “Shut up!”
Hyakkimaru aimed a strike at Tahōmaru’s eyes that Tahōmaru blocked. They stared at one another, breathing hard.
“That’s enough,” Hōichi called out in a strident voice. He walked up to Hyakkimaru and Tahōmaru in the dim torchlight and stood between them.
“Get out of the way, you old monk!” Tahōmaru shouted. “This is none of your concern!”
Hōichi fixed his white-blind eyes on Tahōmaru. “Do you really want to kill your older brother?”
“What? What did you say?” Tahōmaru narrowed his eyes.
Hyakkimaru sucked in a breath. Hōichi could see the true nature of things.
“Brothers shouldn’t kill one another,” Hōichi said. “It’s a crime against nature.”
“I have no brother,” Tahōmaru spat. “You lie.”
“I don’t,” Hōichi snapped.
Tahōmaru was stunned at Hōichi’s harsh tone. He took a step back, eyeing both Hōichi and Hyakkimaru warily.
Hyakkimaru remembered what Itagaki Shūsuke had told him about the Daigo Clan. I've never met him, but I know him by reputation. I've heard he has a wife and son.
Tahōmaru must be Daigo Kagemitsu’s younger son. He did seem to be the right age. Hyakkimaru gaped at Tahōmaru and didn’t move.
“There are things in this world that seem impossible or nonsensical,” Hōichi said. “But this is one thing where you don’t have to take my word.”
“Like I would believe you, anyway,” Tahōmaru said. He was no longer shouting, but he launched his voice like a blade at Hōichi.
“I speak the truth,” Hōichi said. “Others know it, too.”
“Liar!” Tahōmaru practically screamed.
“You don’t have to believe me,” Hōichi said calmly. “Your parents know the truth, too.”
Tahōmaru went very pale.
Guards and ashigaru had heard Tahōmaru shout. They sprinted toward him, Hyakkimaru and Hōichi. “Lord Tahōmaru!”
“Intruders!” The guards surrounded Hyakkimaru and Hōichi.
“I am the monk who played the lute at the banquet tonight,” Hōichi said. “You must have seen me there.”
The guards shouted wordlessly, called to act because of the perceived threat to Tahōmaru.
Hōichi looked a little sad. He didn’t want to fight these men.
“You might be allies of the spy who broke into the Judicial Office,” one of the guards said. “We can’t take chances. We’ll bind you and take you to the barracks for questioning.”
“You will not,” Hōichi said, gently but firmly. He drew his thin blade out of his cane so fast that Hyakkimaru didn’t see it. An instant later, the two guards closest to him collapsed to the ground.
The other guards took a cautious step back from Hōichi. They hadn’t considered the possibility that he could fight, because he was blind.
“Impossible! Are you a spy, too?”
Semimaru laughed brightly, then started singing. “The wind blows to the east, and it rains in the west...”
The old monk was making fun of them. The guards and ashigaru couldn’t allow such a thing. “Kill him! Strike him down!”
“If the fickle wind carries my scent..."
Semimaru cut down another guard, still singing. There were only two guards left standing. He waited for them to attack, then struck them down faster than the eye could track.
Tahōmaru was stunned at Hōichi’s skill with the sword. Hyakkimaru was less surprised, but it was the first time he’d seen Hōichi kill anyone.
“We have to leave, Hyakkimaru,” Hōichi said.
“Yes.”
Hyakkimaru and Hōichi sprinted into the woods toward the castle’s main gate, leaving Tahōmaru behind.